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Bertha’S Summer Boarders 


LINNIE 


HARRIS 



BOSTON: 

CTonffreffatiottal <SunlJags<Sc!j0ol anH Publi'sfitng Sodetj, 






-X 


TZ.'i 


Copyright, 1893, by 

Congregational Sunday-School and Publishing Society. 


C. J. Peters & Son 

Typesetters and Electeotypkes, Boston, U.S.A. 


Printed by Samuel Usher 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. The Letter 

II. The New Cousin 21 

III. The Wednesday Evening Meeting .... 36 

IV. Ella’s Endeavor 52 

V. The President 68 

VI. The First Meeting 85 

VII. A Boy Christian 101 

VIII. Nan’s First Endeavor 117 

IX. Haying Time 130 

X. Camping Out 144 

XI. Clifford meets Apollyon 158 

XII. The Party I75 

XIII. An Adventure in the Woods 189 

XIV. Almost Persuaded 204 

XV. Bertha Transformed 216 

XVI. The Endeavor Social 229 

XVII. Lending a Hand 244 

XVIII. A New Active Member 257 

XIX. The Consecration Meeting 272 

XX. The Endeavor Convention 287 

XXI. Three Years After 301 


3 








BERTHA’S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


CHAPTER I. 

THE LETTER. 

Bertha White sat in the back door looking 
out over the fields whose tall, waving grass was 
ready for the scythe. Behind her the fire she had 
just kindled in the cook-stove crackled cheerfully, 
and the teakettle began to hum. Before her the 
level green field stretched away to mee^ the road 
which led to the village, whose slender church spire 
she could see through the trees. Bertha had not sat 
down in the door to admire the view, for she had 
watched those fields, and the broad, white country 
road which skirted them for twenty-four years, 
through winter’s snow and summer’s heat, and, 
dearly as she loved them, she was too practical 
a young woman to sit down just at supper time to 
admire a familiar scene. 


5 


6 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


While she was waiting for the kettle to boil 
and the tea to steep, she had dropped down onto 
the doorstep to re-read a letter she had received in 
the afternoon mail. It was not very long, and hav- 
ing finished reading it she folded it up, and 
leaning her chin on her hand gazed thoughtfully at 
the old-fashioned well curb, with its long sweep, 
which stood about a stone’s throw from the door. 

“Oh, dear! ” said she, with a long-drawn sigh. 
“I wonder if it will pay?” Bertha was always 
asking that question. She never bought a new 
dress without first testing the material to see if it 
would pay for the buying, for the White girls’ 
dresses had to last more than one season. 

“We do need the money so much,” she went 
on, talking to herself for lack of any one else to 
speak to, “but I dread the extra work. I am so 
tired of the dreary round of housework. Wash- 
ing Monday, ironing Tuesday, cooking Wednes- 
day, mending Thursday, sweeping and cleaning 
Friday, and cooking again Saturday, go to church 
on Sunday — then begin and go all over it again 
the next week. But the money would be lots of 
help next fall. It could go towards Joe’s new 
overcoat. The poor boy must have one, for he 


THE LETTER. 


7 


has entirely outgrown his old one. It is so hard 
to get money in the fall! I ’ll do it if father is 
willing; I can stand the extra work for his sake 
and the children’s. Here comes Harry at last! 
Dear me ! how shabby she looks ! I wonder if I 
shall ever get her new dress done ? ” 

Up the dusty road came a girl swinging a 
couple of books fastened together by a strap, and 
whistling like a boy. When she reached the 
stone wall she jumped over, and, instead of 
going up the lane to the front of the house, fol- 
lowed a well-worn path through the field to the 
back door. 

“Have you had to stay after school again, 
Harry?” asked Bertha, as her sister dropped 
down upon the step at her feet. 

“No, J. Murry don’t get me in that trap more 
than once a week. I have been a model of pro- 
priety all day. I stopped at Nan’s on the way 
home.” 

“What did you do that for?” asked her sister. 
“You know I told you that you could help me on 
your dress after school.” 

“Why, so you did,” said the girl. “I forgot 
all about it.” 


8 


BEUTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


“ What an inconvenient memory you have got, 
Harry, said her sister. “I should think you 
might have interest enough in your own dress to 
help me with it when you can.” 

“Why, so should I,” replied Harry sighing, as 
she leaned her chin on her hand. “ But how can 
I help things going right out of my mind en- 
tirely?” 

“You should not let things go out of your 
mind,” said Bertha severely. “It is time you 
took an interest in things about the house, for you 
are in your eighteenth year, and are no longer a 
child.” 

“Oh, Bird, don’t say that,” interrupted her sis- 
ter. “Just for a change tell me I am seventeen. 
It ’s so tiresome hearing the same thing every 
day.” 

“If you would try and improve, you wouldn’t 
have to hear the same thing every day,” said the 
elder sister. 

“‘ Variety is the spice of life,’ ” the other re- 
plied. “We have talked on one subject so long 
it has become monotonous. Who is that letter 
from?” 


“Cousin Ella Preston.” 


THE LETTER. 


9 


“ How did it happen that she remembered there 
was a family by the name of White down in the 
wilds of Maine ? ” 

“She has not forgotten us, Harry,” said Bertha 
reprovingly. 

“ Oh, has n’t she ? ” said Harry, tossing her head. 
“I should think she would. The easiest way to 
dispose of troublesome poor relations is to forget 
them.” 

“We are not troublesome poor relations,” said 
Bertha indignantly. 

“But we may become troublesome if she re- 
members us,” said Harry mischievously. “If she 
shows too much interest in us you may brace up 
and ask for a set of furs or some other trifle that 
you would like to have.” 

“Yes, it would be very much like me,” said 
Bertha, rising and going into the kitchen to take 
off the teakettle, which was sending out a cloud 
of steam. 

“Rich relations in books are always so nice,” 
Harry continued, still sitting in the door., “ When 
the heroine wants a new dress, up comes a smiling 
cousin with a whole wardrobe for her; when she 
sighs for a piano, a benevolent uncle trots one 


10 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


out at once; and when she has everything her 
heart desires but a trip to Europe, a rich aunt 
asks her to go round the world with her. I don’t 
think the Prestons act up to the light they receive 
from Sunday-school books.” 

“The Prestons are only our second cousins, 
Harry,” replied Bertha, cutting the bread for tea. 
“Where did Joe go after school?” 

“After the cows,” Harry replied. “O Bird I 
the girls are coming out here strawberrying Satur- 
day; can I ask them to stay to tea?” 

“I don’t know. Wait till Saturday comes,” 
replied her busy sister. “I wish you would go 
out into the barn and see if you can find some 
eggs.” 

Harry rose slowly, and leaving her books in the 
doorway, obeyed her sister’s request. Bertha 
White had been mistress of her father’s house 
ever since her mother died. She was only seven- 
teen then ; but she had taken her place as house- 
keeper and kept it ever since. Every one thought 
it the natural thing for her to do, and no one 
dreamed of its being any sacrifice, least of all 
Bertha ; and yet for a young girl to take the care 
of a family on her shoulders, and willingly deprive 


THE LETTER. 


11 


herself of a great many pleasures and advantages, 
was a hard thing to do. 

Bertha had spent the best part of her life in the 
daily round of household cares, and had devoted 
her girlhood to her father and younger brother 
and sister without a murmur. She had never 
been farther from home than the limits of her 
own county. She had no accomplishments but 
house work and dressmaking, and few pleasures. 
Though people pitied her, very few thought of 
what she had so cheerfully given up for the sake 
of others. She was a quiet little body, and, un- 
like other girls, spent neither time nor money on 
her personal appearance. Though cutting and 
making her own dresses, as well as lier sister’s, she 
had but little time to give them fancy touches; 
and in spite of the rage for crimps and bangs, she 
combed her dark brown hair back perfectly plain 
off from her forehead. Under her level eyebrows 
shone a pair of dark gray eyes. She had left 
school when she was seventeen, and though very 
fond of reading she had not been able to indulge 
in it on account of the endless washing,, cooking, 
and sewing. She often felt that her education 
was sadly deficient. 


12 


BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Bertha was seven years older than Harry and 
Joe, the twin brother and sister. 

Harry’s real name was Harriet, but as she had 
always been something of a boy, she had adopted 
one of their names. It was hard to believe that 
Harry and Bertha were sisters, for the former was 
one of those girls who always make a stir, and 
never move without creating a little breeze. At 
school she was usually the ringleader in all the 
mischief, and where she sat was sure to be the 
noisiest part of the room. She rarely failed in 
recitation, however, for she was quick as a flash, 
and could learn a lesson in a very short time. 
At home she was heedless, lazy, and a little self- 
ish. Thougfl her sister lectured her about her 
bad habits, she still continued to spoil her. 

The two sisters did not resemble each other in 
the least. Harry was a tall, slim girl with wild, 
wayward brown hair, which she wore in a knot of 
curls tied in her neck, a pair of dark blue eyes, 
almost black, rosy cheeks, and a roguish, dimpled 
mouth. Her brother Joe was her constant com- 
panion, and looked as much like her as it is possi- 
ble for a boy to look like a girl. 

Bertha waited until the family were gathered 


THE LETTEB. 


13 


around the tea table before she said anything about 
the matter which had engaged her thoughts when 
she sat in the backdoor. ^ 

Mr. White was a grave, silent man, who said 
but little as he drank his two cups of tea, but he 
listened to his children’s chatter with a grave, 
quiet smile playing round the corner of his mouth. 

“Father,” Bertha began, plunging into her bus- 
iness at once, “ I have had an offer to take sum- 
mer boarders.” 

“Have you?” Mr. White replied as though he 
thought that nothing strange. 

Joe relieved his feelings, however, by exclaim- 
ing: “I should smile to see you doing it.” 

“Cousin Ella Preston has written to me,” Ber- 
tha continued, “and asked me if I would take her 
and her aunt. Miss Moore, to board for the sum- 
mer. She says her health is not very good, and 
the doctor has advised her to go to some quiet 
place, and she wants to come here.” 

“ That was what was in the letter then ! ” ex- 
claimed Harry. “ They remember their poor re- 
lations when they want a place to board.” 

“ Why do you talk that way, Harry ? ” asked her 
sister impatiently. “We are not poor relations! 


14 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


We are only second cousins, which is hardly any 
relation at all.” 

“We don’t want our second cousins here,” 
Harry declared, “ and you can write and tell them 
so.” 

“ I hardly think I shall,” replied Bertha quietly. 

“You are not thinking of taking them! ” cried 
Harry in dismay, while Joe exclaimed: — 

“ Here ’s a jolly go I ” 

“Joe, your slang grows worse every day! ” said 
his sister. “If I could find a school where it is 
not taught in all its branches, I would send you 
there at once. What do you think of the plan, 
father?” 

“You are the one to decide, Bertha,” re- 
plied Mr. White. “Won’t it make you extra 
work ? ” 

“I have been thinking of that,” said Bertha 
slowly. “ Kezia Wilder would come for the sum- 
mer, and not charge much, and it would make 
a change for me. And, besides, the money would 
be very nice to have next fall.” 

Harry leaned back in her chair, and looked 
reproachfully at her sister. 

“Kezia won’t come,” said Joe, “ for fear father 


THE LETTER. 


15 


will fall in love with her, and she won’t be able 
to return his affections.” 

A quiet smile passed over Mr. White’s face, but 
he made no reply to his son’s irreverence. 

“We never use the front chamber, ” Bertha con- 
tinued, “and with plenty of milk and eggs, I 
think I can make it pay.” 

“How old is Ella?” asked her father. 

“My age, twenty-four.” 

“How old is the Moore?” asked Joe. 

“Jfm Moore,” replied his sister reprovingly, 
“is an old lady.” 

“An old maid! Whew! I shall have to va- 
mose,” declared Joe. “I ’ll go out West. It ’s 
time I started to do something for myself, and 
now that my sister fills the house with strangers, 
I shall be driven to take refuge in the bleak 
world,” — and he finished with a profound 
sigh. 

“I could stand the old lady,” said. Harry, “but 
I don’t want a rich, fashionable girl to come here 
and make fun of us and our home.” 

“I am not ashamed of the house,” replied Ber- 
tha, “and Ella is not the kind of a girl that makes 
fun. If you have no objections, father, I will go 


16 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


down and see Kezia to-night. They would like 
to know as soon as possible.” 

“Do just as you please, my daughter,” said Mr. 
White rising. “You are the one to decide.’ 

“And we are not worth considering, ” pouted 
Harry. 

“Send word to Kezia that you won’t fall in 
love with her, father, so that she will feel safe 
about coming.” 

“ Stop your nonsense, my son, ” said his father, 
as sternly as he was ever known to speak, “and 
come out and attend to the milking.” 

All the time Bertha was stepping back and forth 
between the dining room and kitchen, clearing 
off the table, washing the dishes and scalding the 
milk pans, she was planning the delicious things 
she would make for the table, and how she would 
fix up the front chamber, and arrange the furni- 
ture in the parlor so that the carpet would not 
show how worn and faded it was. 

When the last thing was done, and she had 
hung her apron up behind the door, Bertha put 
on her hat and gloves, and started for Kezia 
Wilder’s. 

Mr. White’s house stood just outside the vil- 


THE LETTER. 


17 


lage of Oakland, and was surrounded by its own 
green fields. A grass-grown lane, bordered with 
trees, led down to the road, where a wooden gate, 
which was very seldom closed day or night, 
marked the entrance. 

Bertha walked along the dusty road which gave 
out no footfall, listening to the robins singing 
their evening song, and the bobolinks calling to 
each other down in the meadow, in the sweet J une 
twilight. On reaching the village she followed 
the wooden sidewalk to Kezia’s dwelling. 

Kezia was an independent spinster who lived in 
her own little house except when she was called 
away to accommodate some neighbor. She would 
have been highly offended if any one had called 
her a servant, but if any one was troubled about 
getting “help,” she would stay with them until 
a girl was found. In sickness she was invalu- 
able. There was hardly a person in town whom 
she had not nursed. 

Seated by the open window in Kezia’s little 
cane-seated rocking-chair, Bertha told her plans, 
and asked her hostess if she would accommodate 
her for the summer. 

“ I want to know if you are going to take sum- 


18 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

mer boarders, Bertha White ! ” Kezia exclaimed, 
when her guest finished. 

“I am, if you will help me,” Bertha replied. 
“I can’t do the work alone.” 

“ Of course you can’t, ” Kezia declared. “ Board- 
ers make a sight of work, no mistake. But I 
don’t know as I could shut up the house for the 
summer,” — and Kezia glanced fondly around the 
little room with its gay rag carpet and cane- 
seated chairs. “ Then you live so far out of the 
village. It ’s a long walk down to church from 
your house.” 

It did not seem long to Bertha, but then she 
had walked it all her life. 

“I know it is a greet deal to ask of you,” she 
replied. “Our house will seem lonely to you, 
where you are used to the village ; but perhaps 
you won’t mind it so very much in summer.” 

“I shan’t mind the lonesomeness, ” said Miss 
Wilder, “don’t you fret about that. But you 
know how I feel about your father’s being a wid- 
ower.” 

“ I am sure, Kezia, no one will think anything 
about that,” Bertha assured her gravely. 

“People will talk,” said Kezia with a solemn 


THE LETTER, 


19 


shake of the head, “and though I know your pa 
never thinks of marrying again, there will be 
plenty at the sewing society to say that 1 am in 
hopes he will change his mind.” 

“You can go early every week, Kezia,” Bertha 
proposed, “and then they can’t talk about you.” 

“But they will talk somewhere else,” replied 
Kezia, as one who knew the failings of her sister 
woman; “but I don’t care for ’em. Your pa was 
bound up in your ma, and will never marry again, 
I know. You don’t favor your ma much, but 
Harry is the very image of her.” 

“Then you will come,” said Bertha eagerly. 

“I hate to be disobliging,” replied Kezia; “but 
city folks are dreadful particular about some 
things, and may have notions about my setting at 
the table with ’em.” 

“These ladies will not,” said Bertha decidedly. 
“They are my cousins; at least the young lady is, 
and I am sure they will respect your position.” 

Thus surmounting all obstacles and objections, 
Bertha at last persuaded Miss Wilder to accom- 
modate her for the summer, and after arranging 
the terms, she bade her good-by and returned 
home. 


20 


BEETHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


On the doorstep she found Harry. 

“ Is Kezia coming ? ” she asked. 

“Yes,” Bertha replied; “she consented after a 
while.” 

“ Then good-by to peace and happiness for the 
rest of the summer! ” 

“Why will you talk so, Harry?” said Bertha, 
sitting down beside her sister. “You know I 
would not do anything to destroy your peace and 
happiness. You will like Ella, and enjoy having 
her here.” 

“ Enjoy having a fashionable young lady here, 
turning up her nose at everything! ” exclaimed 
Harry, turning up her own similar property. 

“Ella will not do anything of the kind,” Ber- 
tha declared indignantly. 

“Wait and see,” said Harry wisely. 

“ You wait and see. I know Ella, and you 
don’t,” and rising, Bertha went into the sitting- 
room and lit the lamp. 


THU: NEW COUSIN. 


21 


CHAPTER II. 

THE NEW COUSIN. 

Miss Welder came the day before the boarders 
were expected, to help Bertha get ready for them. 
Joe went after her with the wagon in order to 
bring up her trunk, and about eight o’clock 
Friday evening, Harry, from her favorite perch 
in one of the old apple trees, saw them coming up 
the road, with Miss Wilder’s property in the back 
of the wagon. 

“She kissed the cat good-by,” said Joe, as his 
sister came out into the barn to help him unhar- 
ness Bob White, the family steed, “and made me 
nail a board across the gate to keep the cows out 
of the yard. But did n’t I scare her coming up! ” 
and the bad boy chuckled gleefully. 

“ What did you do ?” asked Harry. 

“ Told her the boys would get her black cur- 
rants. She was up a tree in a minute. But I 


22 


BEBTHA^B SUMMER BOARDERS. 


told her not to worry, for I would keep my eye 
on them,” and he chucklfed again as he took Bob 
White out of the thills. 

The next morning Kezia and Bertha rose with 
the sun, and were soon deep in the mysteries of 
cooking. 

Harry watched the pile of good things accumu- 
lating on the pantry shelves, and carried speci- 
mens of the flaky tarts and crisp, brown doughnuts 
out to Joe, who had to spend his holiday hoeing 
potatoes. 

In the afternoon they got the boarders’ rooms 
ready. Bertha thought them nearly perfect, but 
Harry threw cold water on her enthusiasm when 
she came upstairs to honor them with her inspec- 
tion. 

“Ella will complain because it eaves down,” 
said she. “She won’t be able to breathe in it, 
they have so much air in Boston, you know.” 

“She can camp in the orchard then,” said Ber- 
tha, who was tying back the full white curtains 
with blue ribbon. “ She will find plenty of air 
out there.” 

“The looking-glass is n’t large enough to re- 
flect the whole of her at once,” continued Harry, 


THE NEW COUSIN. 


23 


regarding her own image in the little mirror over 
the toilet table. 

“Then she can order a full length mirror/’ said 
Bertha, “and leave it behind her when she goes 
away. It would be very nice for us.” 

“Bertha White!” exclaimed her sister. “I 
believe the mere thought of taking summer board- 
ers has deprived you of all your proper pride ! ” 
and having come to this sad conclusion, the young 
lady left the room. 

Joe was to go to the station after the travelers, 
and though he professed not to care a rush for 
city folks, he put on his best clothes, and spent so 
much time tying his necktie and trying to get the 
kink out of his curly mop, that Bertha was afraid 
the whistle would blow before he left the house. 

Harry would not go with him, to his great dis- 
gust, for she had just been voted into the choir, 
which was considered a great honor by the young 
people, and thought the rehearsal for church the 
next day f more importance than anything else. 

She was not above curiosity, however, and when 
she took off her things in the hall on her return 
from the rehearsal she wondered very much what 
the new boarders were like as she regarded a 


24 


BEBTBA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


broad-brimmed black hat, and a gold-handled um- 
brella, in its neat case. 

She did not see the ladies that night, for they 
had gone to their rooms, and she restrained her- 
self with difficulty from asking questions. 

Sunday morning was a dream of beauty, and 
Harry was up bright and early, hunting hens’ eggs 
in the barn. She had just left them with Kezia 
at the kitchen door, when she saw Joe, just 
returned from driving the cows to pasture, taking 
a brief respite from his labors out under the apple 
trees at the end of the house. 

“Well,” said she, sitting down on the grass 
beside him, “what are they like? ” 

“Who do you mean?” returned Joe provok- 
ingly. 

“The boarders, of course,” said Harry impa- 
tiently. 

“ If you had gone to the station last night you 
would have known,” said Joe, calmly nibbling a 
spear of grass. 

“Now don’t tease,” Harry coaxed. “I am just 
consumed with curiosity. What does Ella look 
like?” 

“She ’s a daisy,” declared Joe emphatically. 


THE NEW COUSIN 


25 


“Is she pretty ? ” asked Harry doubtfully. “ Bos- 
ton girls are most always plain.’’ 

“Well, she is n’t,” declared Joe, who had evi- 
dently sworn fidelity to the stranger. “ She ’s a 
clipper, I tell you.” 

“I thought she was sick,” said Harry. “What 
is the matter with her?” 

“Studied too much Greek and Sanscrit,’ said 
Joe calmly. “All Boston girls do.” 

“What does her aunt look like?” asked Harry, 
determined to satisfy her curiosity. 

“ She wears a chignon, which looks very classic, 
and eyeglasses like this,” and Joe tried to balance 
a chip across his nose. 

“I know she will be just horrid,” declared 
Harry. “I don’t see what Bird wants them here 
for. She will get enough of them before the sum- 
mer is over, I guess.” 

“ This is the way she ’ll talk,” and arranging his 
brown poll d la Boston chignon, Joe struck a sen- 
timental attitude before the apple trees, murmur- 
ing: “Those round, symmetrical limbs are no 
longer distressingly nude, but are clothed with 
graceful foliage, and the charming, geometrical 
spectacle against the ethereal blue is dispelled. 


26 


SUMMER BOARDERS. 


It is inspiring to roam about the country, and 
inspect your engrafted fruit trees, Mr. White ! 

Here a clapping of hands, accompanied by a 
merry laugh, caused Joe to tumble off his high 
horse, and turning hastily round, the twins, to 
their great dismay, saw that the chamber window 
was open, and the young lady boarder was leaning 
out. 

“What fun you are having!” she called. 
“Wait a minute and I’ll come down.” 

“ Jiminy!” cried Joe, as the head left the win- 
dow. “Scatter ’s the word! ” 

“You sha’n’t run away,” declared Harry, hold- 
ing on to her twin in affliction. “You are the one 
who was making fun, and you sha’n’t back out 
and leave me to bear the blame.” 

^ “I ’ll stay and tell what I was doing,” he replied, 
“and just add for your benefit that you can’t bear 
her, and wish she was farther.” 

“Hush!” said Harry with a frown, for the 
object of their conversation was coming round 
the corner of the house dressed in a morning wrap- 
per which caused Harry to open mouth as well as 
eyes in astonishment and admiration. 

“Good morning!” said the newcomer gayly. 


THE NEW COUSIN 


27 


“Is n’t it lovely out here? What were you hav- 
ing so much fun about? I heard you laughing 
before I opened my window.” 

“We were talking about apple trees,” said Joe 
gravely. 

The young lady looked up at the gnarled old 
fruit trees, as if she wondered what they found so 
amusing in them, but she only said: — 

“ You are my cousin Harry, are you not? I did 
not see you last night.” 

Harry did not know what to say as the young 
lady held out her hand and kissed her warmly, but 
she was sure she had never seen any one as pretty 
as this new cousin with her shining, wavy hair, 
smiling brown eyes, slender, white hands, and 
more than all the rest, the dainty wrapper with its 
long train and delicate ribbons. She felt very 
awkward and plain beside her, and could not open 
her lips. 

“ What fine times you two must have I ” the new 
cousin went on. “ I envy you like everything, for 
I have always longed for a brother just my own 
age. Cliff is growing so tall now he does pretty 
well, but he is nothing but a boy still.” 

“How old is Cliff?” asked Joe, becoming inter- 
ested as in a kindred spirit. 


28 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“Cliff is nineteen, and is taller than you, I 
think,’’ said the young lady, thus causing Joe to 
throw his shoulders back, remembering that Ber- 
tha often cautioned him about stooping. 

“ He is in the second company, so you see he is 
quite tall, and he is captain, too, so, of course, 
that has made him grow a head taller — in his 
own estimation at least.” 

Harry was strongly impressed with the picture 
of such a splendid creature, and Joe thought, envi- 
ously, that it was a fine thing to live in the city, 
and wondered what the Boston chap would think 
of a fellow who had to hoe potatoes on the only 
holiday in the week, and drive cows night and 
morning. 

Just then the clarion voice of Kezia announced 
breakfast from the kitchen door, and nothing more 
was said. 

Sunday breakfast at the Whites’ always con- 
sisted of brown bread and beans, but this morning, 
as Harry followed the young lady boarder into the 
dining room, with her eyes fixed on the train of 
that wonderful wrapper, she wished that Bertha 
had had something else ; their favorite dish would 
look so countrified to Ella, 


THE NEW COUSIN. 


29 


Miss Moore made her appearance at the break- 
fast table; and Harry, who always made up her 
mind in a twinkling whether she liked a person 
or not, took a violent dislike to her the moment 
she was introduced. Miss Moore was a somewhat 
stiff maiden lady, with gray side curls, which 
naughty Harry declared were false, and - gold- 
bowed eyeglasses, through which she stared in a 
way that was very trying to nervous people. 

“This is my sister Harry, Miss Moore,” said 
Bertha, as the girl entered the room. 

Up went the eyeglasses, and Harry was the 
victim of the most decided stare she had ever 
encountered. 

“Harry!” exclaimed the lady, letting the 
glasses drop on the slender gold chain on which 
they hung. “That must be an abbreviation.” 

“Her real name is Harriet,” explained Bertha, 
flushing a little. 

“Ah, indeed!” and Miss Moore turned from 
Harry to her coffee cup as though she had no 
further interest in so insignificant a human being. 
“Where have you been this morning, Ella?” she 
asked her niece. “I went into your room and 
found it empty.” 


30 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“I ran down into the orchard,” replied the 
young lady. “It is such a glorious morning, I 
wanted to get out-of-doors as soon as possible.” 

“It was very imprudent,” said her aunt gravely. 
“You must remember what the doctor said.” 

“No, auntie, I am going to forget the doctor 
and his tiresome sayings,” her niece replied. “I 
am sure I shall have no use for him down here.” 

“But it was very damp,” Miss Moore persisted. 
“You should not step out on the ground when it 
is wet with dew.” 

“My land! ” spoke up Kezia, “the sun has been 
up these four hours: I guess the dew is dry if it 
is ever going to be.” 

Up went Miss Moore’s eyeglasses again, and 
Kezia was treated to a prolonged stare, which she 
received with an indignant sniff. Having satis- 
fied herself what species of animal Kezia belonged 
to. Miss Moore dropped her glasses and went on 
with her breakfast. 

“Auntie has come down here to take care of 
me,” said Ella merrily; “but I am afraid she will 
have her hands full.” 

Harry fervently wished that the elder lady might 
find her niece such a troublesome charge that she 


THE NEW COUSIN. 


31 


would give it up, and return on the next train to 
Boston. She did not stop to think of what her 
sister would lose thereby, for girls of seventeen 
are not very practical. 

After breakfast, while Bertha strained the milk, 
Harry helped Kezia with the dishes ; and all the 
while she was wiping and putting them away 
she poured her admiration of Ella into Kezia’s 
ears. 

“Don’t you think she is lovely, Kezia?” said 
she for the sixth time. 

“I don’t see nothing lovely about her,” said 
Kezia, splashing round in the dishwater; “but 
she ain’t bad looking.” 

“ She is just as pretty as she can be ! ” said 
Harry warmly. “Who would think she was as 
old as Bird? She doesn’t look a day over eigh- 
teen, does she?” 

“Your sister is a sensible-looking girl, Harry 
White,” retorted Kezia, with whom Bertha was 
a favorite, “and don’t try to make herself look 
sixteen when she is twenty-five.” 

“Ella does n’t either, I know,” said Harry in- 
dignantly. “ It is natural for her to look young 
when her hair is so curly and goldy, and her com- 


32 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


plexion so pink-and- white ; and then her wrapper 
— O Kezia! did you notice her wrapper? It was 
made like a court dress, with a long plait in the 
back, and came up high in the neck in one of 
those rolling collars.” 

“ There, there ! ” exclaimed Kezia impatiently. 
“You are bewitched, just as I knew you’d be, 
with a dress with a long tail to it. Do carry those 
dishes away, or you won’t get through and dressed 
in time for church.” 

The boarders did not go out, to Harry’s disap- 
pointment, for she wanted her friends to see her 
pretty, stylish cousin, but stayed in their own 
rooms most of the day, resting from their jour- 
ney. The family attended church, and the twins 
went to Sunday school; but in spite of these ser- 
vices the day was a long one, and at four o’clock, 
when Joe started to go after the cows, Harry pro- 
posed going with him. 

“You must change your dress, then, ’’said Ber- 
tha, who was indulging in the luxur}^ of a book 
before supper time. She had laid aside her own 
black cashmere, and had put on one of her neat 
calicoes to do up the night work in. 

Harry grumbled, but obeyed her sister ; and, 


THE NEW COUSIN. 


33 


putting on her school dress, joined Joe, who was 
in the barn door whittling. 

Just as they started for the pasture a new voice 
hailed them, and, looking round, they saw Ella 
with her hat in her hand coming out the front 
door. 

“ Can’t I go with you ? ” she asked. “ I have 
been in the house all day, and am just aching for 
a walk.” 

“We are going after the cows,” said Harry. 
“That is, I was, but I will go with you now.” 

“Why can’t I go after the cows too?” asked 
Ella. “I have always thought that it must be 
fun to drive them.” 

Harry stared in astonishment at hearing a young 
lady from Boston say that she should like to drive 
cows, but said cordially : — 

“ All right. Come on then ; ” and the three 
started for the pasture. 

Harry did not feel quite at her ease at first, and 
let Joe do most of the talking. He was not afraid 
of his cousin ; for clothes do not stand in a boy’s 
way, and Joe did not feel awkward in his school 
clothes because his companion was dressed in soft 
white flannel, trimmed with broad braid. Harry, 


34 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

however, could not help thinking how homely 
and shabby she must look beside her, until she 
became so interested in the conversation that she 
forgot all about dress. • 

They found the cows waiting at the pasture 
bars. 

“Will you please wait till I get over this fence 
before you let down the bars ? ” asked Ella. “ I 
don’t like cows very near.” 

“Oh, they won’t hurt you,” said Joe, without 
offering to tease, as he would have done if a coun- 
try girl had- made a similar confession. “They 
are perfectly harmless; would n’t hurt a fly. ” 

Nevertheless, Ella kept close to the fence, and 
made Harry stand in front of her while the peace- 
ful herd ambled into the lane, snatching at the 
wayside grass as they passed. When they were 
safely started for home, she bravely followed, 
stopping every once in a while to pick the gay 
wild flowers, which the brother and sister passed 
by indifferently every day of their lives. 

By the time they reached the house the three 
were as good friends as though they had known 
each other for a lifetime. 

“Well, Harry,” said Bertha that night, as they 


THE NEW COUSIN. 


35 


went up to their own room, “do you think my 
boarders will entirely destroy your happiness this 
summer? ” 

“Ella is perfectly lovely!” declared Harry; 
“but, as Kezia says, ‘if you don’t have trouble 
with the old lady, I ’ll miss my guess.’ ” 


36 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


CHAPTER III. 

THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 

Harry was not the only one who fell in love 
with Ella, for they all liked her. Mr. White 
thought her a very intelligent young lady ; Kezia 
owned that she had her good points; Joe was her 
most devoted slave, and would have cut off his 
head and presented it to her on a charger had she 
demanded such a sacrifice. But the other new 
member of the family did not prove so agreeable. 

Miss Moore was not a person who tried to 
please, and without trying she fell very far short 
of succeeding. 

“Mark my words, you T1 have trouble with 
her,” Kezia had said when she felt the power of 
the gold“bowed eyeglasses; and it soon proved 
that she was a true prophetess. 

Monday was a bright, hot day, pleasant enough 
for those who had nothing to do but stay in the 


THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 37 


shade and keep cool; but for those who had to 
bend over the washtub it was intolerable. It 
seemed to Bertha as though she and Kezia would 
never get the last thing done. 

After dinner she was dragging her aching limbs 
upstairs, when Miss Moore’s door opened, and 
that lady came out. . 

“I was just going in search of you,” said she, 
on seeing Bertha. “ But I can speak to you here 
just as well.” 

Bertha took hold of the baluster and wondered 
uneasily what was coming. 

Miss Moore went on benignly: “You are not 
accustomed to city people, my dear, and do not 
fully understand their needs, which is perfectly 
natural, as you have always lived in this little 
place, and have never taken boarders before. I 
thought a few suggestions would not come 
amiss.” 

“No, ma’am,” said Bertha faintly, wondering 
what was coming. “I would be glad to have 
you tell me what is wrong.” 

“It is the feather beds,” replied Miss Moore. 
“It is impossible for me to sleep on one. I am 
quite worn out from the effects of the last two 


38 


BEETHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


nights. I have refrained from speaking until 
now, but I can not endure in silence any longer.” 

“I am very sorry,” said Bertha with a sigh, 
“but/ there is not a mattress in the house.” 

“You should have made every arrangement for 
your boarders’ comfort, my dear, before you sent 
word for them to come,” said Miss Moore sweetly. 
“You are young and inexperienced, and we will 
make all due allowance.” 

“ I did not know that you objected to feather 
beds,” said Bertha, “or I should have got a mat- 
tress.” 

“Your ignorance is perfectly excusable,” replied 
Miss Moore ; “ and if you have no mattresses we 
will try and endure the feather beds until some 
can be obtained from Boston.” 

“It will not be necessary to send there,” said 
Bertha, flushing a little. “ I can get one for you 
to-morrow.” 

“ I am glad the matter can be so easily ar- 
ranged,” said the lady, brightening. “But there 
is another little matter. Do you not know that 
it is not customary for servants to eat at the first 
table?” 

“ O Miss Moore, do you mean Kezia ? ” asked 
Bertha. 


THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 39 


“I refer to that person, ” replied the lady, “who 
is so familiar with her superiors.” 

“ But Kezia is not a servant,” Bertha explained, 
“ but is an old friend who has kindly consented to 
help me this summer.” 

“ I thought from her position that she was a ser- 
vant,” said the lady stiffly. “I think it would be 
much better to have her understand that she is to 
sit at the second table.” 

“ I can not ask Kezia to do that even for you, 
Miss Moore,” said Bertha with dignity. “She is 
an old friend whom I can not insult.” 

“It must be very inconvenient to have old 
friends working in your kitchen. But I will say 
no more,” and with a majestic gesture of the hand 
Miss Moore stepped inside her own door. 

Bertha escaped to her own chamber, half in- 
clined to cry; but after she had bathed her hot 
face, and put on a fresh, cool dress, she felt better, 
and could afford to smile at Miss Moore and her 
feather bed. 

She was going downstairs when Ella called her. 

“Won’t you come in? You have not seen my 
room since I unpacked. I am beginning to feel 
at home. Come in and see how I look.” 


40 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


The young lady had been taking a nap, and 
now, arrayed in a white dressing-sack with pink 
ribbons, was combing her hair, while her curler 
was heating over a lighted lamp. 

Bertha accepted the invitation, and entered the 
pretty chamber which she had arranged with such 
care for her cousin. It did not look as it had Sat- 
urday afternoon when she had given it its finish- 
ing touches. Photographs were stuck into the 
looking-glass, pinned on the wall, and tucked 
into odd corners. Books, piles of them it seemed 
to Bertha, some in paper covers, some in pretty 
bindings, stood on the table; a banjo case filled 
one corner; over the looking-glass was draped a 
pale blue silk scarf; and on the toilet table was 
a mirror in a pretty frame, ivory-handled brushes 
and combs, and bright silver manicure instru- 
ments which filled Bertha with wonder. Among 
these dainty trifles she also noticed a little gilt- 
edged book marked with the letters Y. P. S. C. E. ; 
while under the looking-glass was a square gilt- 
edged card with “ Active Members’ Pledge ” in 
large letters on it, and more in finer print which 
she could not read. These letters caught her eye 
and held it, for she knew they were the initial 


THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 41 

letters of a society which people who lived out 
in the world knew all about and enjoyed. She 
had read of the organization and rapid, won- 
derful growth of the Young People’s Society of 
Christian Endeavor, and would have liked to 
question Ella about it, but was afraid of betray- 
ing her ignorance in regard to things which her 
cousin knew all about; so she watched Ella and 
said nothing about the pretty card and little 
gilt-edged book which had attracted her attention 
as soon as she entered the room. 

It was a pleasure to watch Ella as she coiled 
her long shining hair, and then taking up her 
curler began to create the many fluffy curls which 
just shaded her white forehead. 

“It must be nice,” Bertha thought with a small 
sigb of envy, “to be able to make one’s self look 
so pretty.” 

But she did not dream that she, even by means 
of a curler, could make her hair look like Ella’s, 
for Bertha considered herself very plain. 

“There, now, I am ready,” said Ella, turning 
from the glass at last. “Now we can take a book 
and sit out under the apple trees. Have you read 
many of these ? ” 


42 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Bertha was bending lovingly over the books, 
thinking how tempting they looked. Some of 
them she had seen advertised, and longed to read ; 
but now that they were before Ij^er, she must not 
yield to the temptation. 

“I can’t read,” said she firmly, laying down the 
book which she had taken up, “ for I have got to 
mend Joe’s jacket this afternoon.” 

Bertha did not see the glance of pity her cousin 
gave her as she took up the book she laid down, 
saying, — 

“Which had you rather I would do, help you 
with the sewing, or read aloud?” 

“Oh, you could n’t help me with Joe’s old 
coat,” laughed Bertha. 

“Then I ’ll read to you,” replied Ella promptly. 
“ Come ! I love to read aloud, and am perfectly 
happy when I have some one to listen.” 

To Bertha it seemed the height of luxury to sit 
out under the apple trees and listen to her cousin 
read aloud from one of those delightful books, as 
fresh and charming as the summer day about them; 
but she was afraid it made her lazy, for when 
Joe’s coat was finished she leaned back in the 
little rocking-chair they had brought out under 
the trees, and did nothing. 


THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 43 

“You must be tired,” said she when Ella laid 
down her book. “ How selfish of me to keep you 
reading all this time ! ” 

“Not selfish a bit,” declared Ella, “for I love 
to read aloud. But, tell me, do you work as hard 
as this every day ? ” 

“Why, I have n’t worked hard to-day,” replied 
Bertha, “for I have had Kezia to help me.” 

“But after working all the morning, do you 
have to sew all the afternoon ? ” asked Ella, glan- 
cing at the jacket which had tumbled onto the 
ground. 

“Oh, yes,” replied Bertha cheerfully. “There 
is always a stitch to be taken somewhere. Joe 
has a fine faculty for tearing his clothes; and 
Harry, poor child, — with all my efforts I can not 
keep her anything but shabby.” 

“And you are just my age! ” exclaimed Ella. 

“You seem a great deal younger than I,” Ber- 
tha replied. “ I grew old young, and feel about 
forty now. All the girls of my age are married 
and gone, and you don’t know how nice it seems 
to have a cousin who has not the appendage of a 
husband to engross all her thoughts. I think I 
shall enjoy this summer.” 


44 


BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“I hope so,” said Ella thoughtfully. “ But you 
must grow young again, Bertha, for I feel almost 
childish beside you.” 

“I ’ll try to, ” laughed Bertha. “ But you must 
excuse me now, I must go and see about supper. 
Kezia went down town, and has not got back.” 

That evening Ella brought her banjo down- 
stairs, and, sitting in a low camp chair out under 
the trees, with her little feet crossed in front of 
her, sang song after song, twanging an accom- 
paniment on her instrument. 

Miss Moore was persuaded that her niece was 
sowing the seeds of consumption, and sent out a 
shawl, which she ordered her to put on. But the 
others were highly entertained. Mr. White 
dropped his paper to listen, and Kezia clicked 
her knitting-needles in time with the banjo- 
strings, ejaculating, “Well, I do declare!” at 
every new tune. 

Ella enjoyed the pleasure she was giving, and 
sang with a zest, while the moon, shining through 
the leaves of the apple trees, cast fantastic shadows 
over her, and the blossoms filled the air with fra- 
grance. 

Joe and Harry were delighted with the songs; 


THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 45 

and while the former beat time with his foot, Harry 
hummed in an undertone, wishing she had a banjo 
and could play on it as Ella did. 

“I say!” said Joe suddenly, “do you know 
‘McGinty ’?” 

“O Joe!” exclaimed Ella. “How dare you 
hint that I can sing that ! Shades of immortal 
Boston ! What would the inhabitants say to such 
a performance ? ” 

“I bet you can! ” declared Joe. “Try and see 
if you can’t.” 

“Promise that you will never mention it,” said 
she ; “ for if it should be told of, I ’m afraid they 
would banish me from polite societ}".” 

“I ’ll keep mum,” promised Joe. “Go ahead. 
You are among friends, all as deep as Jacob’s 
well.” 

Thus encouraged, Ella sang the popular song 
through from beginning to end, much to Joe’s de- 
light. She had hardly finished when a window 
over her head opened and a voice called out: — 

“ Ella Preston, I can not allow you to persist in 
such an injurious practice as singing in the open 
air. What did the doctor tell you?” 

“I am done now, auntie,” said Ella meekly. 


46 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“Then do come into the house,” Miss Moore 
implored. “ The dew is falling, and the grass is 
damp.” 

“I do wish Nan had come up this evening,” said 
Harry as they followed Ella into the sitting-room. 

“Who is Nan? ” asked her cousin with interest. 

“My chum,” Harry replied. “She wants to 
know you, but she is bashful.” 

“Give Miss Nan my compliments,” said Ella, 
“ and tell her that I am not at all formidable, and 
that the nearer one gets to me the less terrible I 
become.” 

“ Oh, I told her there was no need to be afraid 
of you,” said* Joe frankly, “and that timid as I 
was, you did n’t scare me.” 

“That is your opinion of me, is it? Well, I am 
glad that I don’t inspire awe in your youthful 
breast. Yes, auntie, I am coming,” and she ran 
upstairs in answer to Miss Moore’s call. 

The next day it rained, and to Harry’s great 
disappointment there could be no moonlight con- 
cert out under the apple trees; and Wednesday 
evening, Ella, instead of bringing down her banjo, 
declared her intention of going to prayer meeting 
with Bertha. 


THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 47 


“I have n’t been to a prayer meeting for a long 
time,” said she eagerly, “so I am real glad you 
are going. I ’ll run upstairs and get ready.” 

“I should think she was going to a party,” 
pouted Harry in the kitchen door. “ What does 
she want to go to that stupid prayer meeting 
for?” 

“You need a work of grace in your own heart, 
Harriet White,” said Kezia, at the sink washing 
dishes. “You are a lost sinner, or you would n’t 
call the prayer meeting stupid.” 

Harry always ran away when Kezia talked reli- 
gion, and now she fled to the orchard for refuge, 
and was there when the girls started. Ella looked 
so pretty in her gray dress and little black hat, 
that she decided to forgive her for preferring the 
prayer meeting to a moonlight concert under the 
apple trees. 

The June twilight was full of sweet scents and 
sounds ; but the vestry where the meeting was held 
had been closed for a week, and was full of bad 
air, while the kerosene lamps dispelled the fading 
rosy light of sunset. 

The worshipers were scattered over the large 
room, only half filling it ; and, as if the meeting 


48 


BEETRA'S SUMMER BOAEBEES. 


was a duty and not a pleasure, they spoke and 
prayed with long pauses between, which were 
most distressing. The spirit which should per- 
vade a prayer meeting was not there; but the 
Christians in Oakland had become so used to their 
lifeless worship, that they had almost forgotten 
what a soul stirring meeting was like. 

Ella sat through it all, her brown eyes wander- 
ing round the room with a look of surprise and 
wonder in them ; but when the meeting was over 
she made no comment. The ladies looked curi- 
ously at the stranger, and Bertha introduced one 
or two, but no one shook hands. Kezia exchanged 
a little gossip with her old friends, and then the 
three started for home. 

They found Harry in the sitting-room reading 
on their return. 

“ Don’t you wish you had stayed at home. Cousin 
Ella,” said she, “instead of poking off to that 
stupid prayer meeting ? ” 

Ella sat down in the rocking-chair without tak- 
ing off either hat or jacket. 

“ Do you have a meeting like that every week? ” 
she asked. 

“Why, yes,” replied Bertha; “of course we do. 
Why do you ask? ” 


THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 49 


“Don’t you have any other?” 

“No, indeed,” said Bertha in surprise. 

“ I should think one prayer meeting a week was 
enough ! ” exclaimed Harry. 

“ But don’t you have a young people’s meeting 
of any kind?” queried Ella. 

“There are only a few young Christians here,” 
said Bertha, a little shadow resting on her face. 
She had joined the church when her mother died, 
but she felt sometimes as though she stood alone. 

“ Did n’t you enjoy the meeting? ” asked Kezia. 
“I thought there was a good many out. Did you 
notice Mis’ Jones had on her black-and-white 
sateen, Berthy? She is a-leaving off her mourn- 
ing and will soon be on the look-out for another 
husband.” 

“I wish,” said Ella, slowly pulling off her 
gloves, “ that I could take you to one of our En- 
deavor meetings.” 

“ Endeavor meetings ! ” echoed Bertha. 

“Yes,” replied Ella. “I think you would feel 
that you had almost reached heaven.” 

“ What kind of a thing is an Endeavor meet- 
ing ? ” asked Harry. 

“Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor, 


50 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


I mean. Have n’t you heard of them?” asked 
Ella, as though she thought a great deal had 
been left out of her cousin’s life. 

“ I have read about them, ” said Bertha. “ They 
must be nice.” 

“You don’t know how much good the societies 
have done,” said Ella, “and what a help they are 
to young Christians. Every one says that our 
Endeavor meeting is the most interesting one of 
the week. I wish you could have one here.” 

No one made any answer as Ella paused, and 
the click of Kezia’s knitting-needles was the only 
sound which broke the stillness. She had never 
heard of a Christian Endeavor Society, but left it 
for the girls to ask the questions. 

Harry regarded her cousin with big, round eyes. 
She had a dread of being spoken to on religious 
subjects, and wondered if, when they were alone, 
Ella would talk to her as Kezia did, and tell her 
that she ought to be converted and join the 
church. 

Bertha regarded her cousin wistfully, but shook 
her head, as she said, breaking the little pause : — 

“ It would be impossible, for there are no young 
Christians here.” 


THE WEDNESDAY EVENING MEETING. 51 

“ An Endeavor Society is just what you want 
to make young Christians, ” Ella replied. “We did 
not know that so many of the young people in our 
church were interested until we formed an En- 
deavor Society.” 

“What is it, anyway?” asked Harry bluntly. 

“I ’ll show you ; ” and, without stopping to take 
off either hat or jacket, Ella ran upstairs, and 
returned with the card and little hook which had 
attracted Bertha’s attention Monday afternoon. 

Spreading them out on the table, the three girls 
bent over them, while Ella eagerly explained, and 
Kezia clicked her needles as she looked over the 
top of her glasses at the group. 

“ If you will only organize one I am sure it will 
be a success,” Ella declared. 

But Bertha only shook her head. 

“You don’t know anything about the people 
here, Ella,” said she. “You could not get them 
to carry on anything of the kind.” 

“ There is nothing like trying,” said Ella as she 
gathered up her things. “I believe I shall try, 
and if I fail — why, there will he no harm done.” 


52 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


CHAPTER IV. 

ELLA’S ENDEAVOR. 

“My dear young lady,” said the Rev. Mr. 
Smith, “I think you are mistaken. The young 
people here have no interest in religious matters. 
I have labored among them for years, but have met 
with no success, and am almost entirely discour- 
aged.” 

“It must be discouraging,’’ said Ella sympa- 
thetically, “ if you have no young people to help 
you in your work.” 

“There is nothing bad about them,” the minis- 
ter continued. “ I would not have you think that 
there is. Miss Preston. It is -only that they are 
cold and indifferent to religious matters. I feel 
that my labors among them are all in vain. ” 

“Don’t you think,” asked Ella gently, “that 
you would find an Endeavor Society a help?” 

The minister shook his head decidedly, as he 
replied : — 


ELLA'S ENLEAVOB. 


53 


“ There are no young people here to carry on 
an Endeavor Society, Miss Preston. I know of no 
one who would join if we organized one.” 

“Why, Joe and Harry would, I know, ’’said Ella 
promptly. “There are two, anyway.” 

Mr. Smith simply stared in astonishment at 
this bold statement, and Bertha, sitting by the 
window, looked over to her cousin in surprise, for 
she thought Joe and Harry were the last ones to 
depend upon in this new work. 

Neither had the minister any faith in the twins, 
for he had often seen them laughing and playing 
at the Sunday evening meetings when he, their 
pastor, was speaking; but he refrained, out of 
regard to their sister, from expressing his opinion. 

“It is very kind of you to take an interest in 
us. Miss Preston,” said he, “but I am afraid your 
plan will be utterly impossible as we are situated. 
We were very glad to see you at our meeting, and 
hope you and your aunt will both be able to attend 
while you remain with us.” 

The Rev. Mr. Smith had taken great pains to 
call on the ladies at the Whites’, and Ella had 
done as she declared she should do on the first 
opportunity, — urged the pastor to organize a 


54 


BEETHA^S SUMMER B0ABDEE8, 


Young People’s Society of Ohristian Endeavor. 
But Mr. Smith did not favor the plan. He had 
labored so long among the young people with no 
visible success, that he had not faith as a grain of 
mustard seed ; and, moreover, had become so used 
to the old ways that he was very loth to under- 
take anything new. 

Ella stood by the window watching the cleri- 
cal gentleman go down the lane. 

“It was very unwise in you, Ella,” said her aunt 
reprovingly, “ to introduce such personal subjects 
when a strange gentleman was calling. Why do 
you care whether there is a society of Christian 
Endeavor here or not ? ” 

“It will help them so much, auntie,” said Ella, 
turning from the window, “ and do them so much 
good. I want them to have one because I know 
how much good it will do.” 

“It is kind of you, Ella,” said Bertha, “but I 
am afraid it will not do as much good as you 
think. Mr. Smith tried to have a young people’s 
prayer meeting here once, but it was a failure.” 

“What made it fail?” asked Ella. 

“ Oh, the boys and girls would laugh and play, 
and I ’m afraid they made fun of poor Mr. Smith. 


ELLA^S ENBEAVOB. 


55 


There was no one to take part. It was awful! 
If you have any mercy on us, Ella, don’t start 
anything of the kind again. I know Christian 
Endeavor Societies are nice where you live, for 
you have lots of young Christians, and people are 
wide-awake and earnest, but it is different here.” 

“You are a regular doubting Thomas, Bertha,” 
said Ella. “ I wonder how I am going to convert 
and convince you.” 

“You can’t do it,” laughed Bertha. 

“Wait and see,” Ella declared. “I have a 
new plan, and since you threw cold water on all 
my old suggestions, I will ship you off and try 
some one else.” 

That night Ella again asked permission to go 
after the cows, and at live o’clock started for the 
pasture with Harry and Joe; but neither the girl 
nor boy suspected that their cousin had a special 
reason for wanting to help drive home the cows. 

As they followed the familiar lane to the pas- 
ture bars, she questioned Harry about her school- 
mates, writing down the names which she men- 
tioned in a little gilt-edged notebook. 

“ What in the world do you want of the girls’, 
names?” asked Harry, her curiosity roused at 
last. 


66 


BERTHA’^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“Perhaps you will know some day,” said Ella 
gayly as she closed the book. 

“ It will be something nice, anyway, ” Harry de- 
clared, for her faith in Ella was unlimited. 

“ Why don’t you ask for the names of some of 
my friends?” asked Joe. “I could tell you of 
some fellows worth three of those girls.” 

“I ’ll leave them until later/’ replied Ella. 
“I’ll catch the girls; then I won’t have any 
trouble about getting the boys.” 

The next morning ushered in ironing day, and, 
as it promised to be hot, Kezia was anxious to get 
to work early. So she had breakfast betimes, and 
left Bertha to wait on the boarders, who, she de- 
clared with a sniff, 

“Would n’t be down in any kind of season.” 

Bertha was out in the garden cutting asparagus 
for dinner, while Kezia, in the kitchen, was 
vigorously pounding down on the ironing board, 
when Ella suddenly appeared in the door. 

Kezia did not welcome her very graciously, for 
she did not like to have people in pale pink morn- 
ing-dresses, trimmed with lace, watch her while 
at work. Besides, she had just begun on a ruffled 
skirt of that young lady’s, which put her a little 


ELLA^S ENDEAVOR. 


57 


out of temper. She did not think it necessary for 
people to trim their clothes and make them so 
hard to iron. 

Nothing daunted, however, Ella went round to 
the woodbine-draped window, opposite the iron- 
ing table, and sat dow 

“Kezia,” said she, looking into that lady’s 
sharp and wrinkled visage, “I have got a great 
favor to ask of you.” 

“I don’t know what you can want of me,” said 
Kezia, holding her flatiron against her cheek to 
test its heat. 

“I want a tea party,” said Ella slowly. “Can 
I have one?” 

“What on earth have you come to me for?” 
asked Kezia tartly. “I ain’t mistress in this 
house, nor never expect to be. What ’s more, I 
don’t mean to try for the position, either.” 

“Oh, I know that,” said Ella, with a gleam of 
fun in her eyes, for she had heard from Joe of 
Miss Wilder’s views concerning widowers. “I 
went to Bertha about the tea party, and she said 
she was willing if you were.” 

“If you and Bertha want a tea party I ain’t got 
nothing to say,” said Kezia, pulling the skirt 
round spitefully, for the ruffles bothered her. 


58 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“It is not Bertha’s party, but mine,” said Ella, 
“and I shall want you to help me.” 

“ I suppose I can get up a supper good enough 
for town folks,” said Kezia, as though she doubted 
her ability to suit city people. 

“I shall want some cream biscuits no larger 
than that,” and Ella held up her thumb and finger 
formed in a small circle. 

“My land! ” cried Kezia. “How many do you 
expect ’em to eat?” 

“Half a dozen apiece,” replied Ella promptly. 
“Then I want the ham cut thin as shavings, one 
of your famous creamcakes, and tarts, and I want 
the table set under the apple trees.” 

“ Out-doors ! ” exclaimed Kezia, with suspended 
flatiron. 

“Yes; don’t you think it will be lovely to have 
the table out in the orchard ? ” 

“Whoever heard of such a notion?” said Kezia. 
“I thought the dining room was made to eat 
in.” 

“So it is,” replied Ella; “but it will be nice to 
have this supper out in the orchard.” 

“Every one to their taste,” said Kezia; “I never 
did enjoy eating out-doors, nor see why folks 


ELLA^S ENBEAVOB. 


59 


thought such a sight of picnics, and sitting down 
among spiders and ants.” 

“1 think the girls will enjoy it,” said Ella, 
“and if you are willing I will invite them for 
Saturday.” 

“Land sakes! it ain’t for me to say whether 
you ’ll have ’em or not. I ’ll make the things for 
yer, if that is what yer driving at. ” 

Kezia had got the ruffled skirt done up, and 
could now afford to be gracious. 

“ Oh, thank you ever so much ! ” said Ella, jump- 
ing up. “ I am sure you will enjoy it, and like 
my plan of eating supper out-of-doors.” 

Not even Bertha herself knew what Ella’s plans 
were, though she had her suspicions as she saw 
the little pile of dainty invitation cards which 
Harry was to deliver to her friends ; but she kept 
them to herself, and assisted Ella all she could in 
her preparations for the eventful Saturday after- 
noon and evening. 

“You don’t know how utterly thoughtless those 
girls are, Ella,” she could not help saying at 
length. “I don’t want to discourage you, but I 
am afraid you are planning something which you 
will not be able to carry through.” ♦ 


J 


60 BERTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

“Now, doubting Thomas, you just keep still 
and watch! ” said Ella merril}", shaking her head 
at her cousin. “ I believe you people down here 
don’t know anything about girls, and your young 
folks have never had their just dues.” 

Bertha meekly obeyed this command, and kept 
her doubts to herself as she helped get ready for 
the tea party. Every one was interested in it, 
even Miss Moore, though she told her niece that 
she did not approve of it. Kezia cooked all the 
dainties Ella asked for, and Bertha took down her 
mother’s old-fashioned china, whose quaint deco- 
rations her cousin admired so much, and Harry 
picked flowers and made bouquets for the table. 

Only Joe stood one side, pretending to feel 
great scorn toward the affair, and privately in- 
formed Harry that she would get into a scrape if 
she did n’t look out. 

The girls all came promptly at four, the hour 
given on the invitation cards, dressed in their 
prettiest light summer dresses, all eager to make 
the acquaintance of Harry’s pretty young lady 
cousin. There were seven of them, all classmates 
and intimate friends. 

As Ella watched them she thought to herself. 


ELLA'S ENDEAVOB. 


61 


“ What a power they will be if I can only enlist 
them for Christ! ” 

They were pretty girls, not beauties any of 
them ; but seventeen and eighteen is an age always 
attractive if it has health to make it so, and these 
girls were all fresh and happy, and formed a pretty 
picture as they gathered round Ella. 

There were girls with blue eyes and girls with 
black; girls with yellow hair and girls with 
brown; there were noisy girls and quiet girls; 
laughing girls and sober girls; and as Ella 
watched them she decided that the Rev. Mr. 
Smith was very much mistaken in regard to his 
young people. 

Nan Winters was Harry’s particular chum. 
She was not pretty, but her gray eyes had a merry 
twinkle in them, and her teeth were white and 
even. Ella liked her quick, decided way of 
speaking, and rightly guessed that if she could 
enlist her, the others would soon follow. 

They had some pleasant games of croquet (lawn 
tennis had not found its way to that country vil- 
lage), and when they were tired they went into 
the parlor, where Ella taught them how to make 
crambo verses, while Bertha and Kezia set the 
table out in the orchard. 


62 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Of course the girls enjoyed the supper; and as 
their peals of laughter reached the dining room 
where the rest of the family were, Kezia thought 
that dining out-of-doors was not such a bad 
notion after all. Ella had tried to coax Joe to 
join them, but the boy was too bashful to go 
out among so many girls, so he ate in the dining 
room, and wished he had the courage to go 
out and share the fun in the orchard. 

After supper Ella entertained them for a while 
with her banjo; but, though Bertha never knew 
how she managed it, it was soon laid aside, and 
Ella was talking Christian Endeavor to the girls, 
who were gathered round her listening eagerly. 
They would listen to anything that she told 
them, Bertha thought, but what would be the 
result when she proposed organizing one? 

Ella asked the question in the most natural 
way possible. A little pause followed her pro- 
posal, and then Nan Winters said frankly: — 
“We are none of us Christians, Miss Preston.” 
“But is that any reason why you should not 
have an Endeavor Society ?” asked Ella. “You 
all intend to be Christians some time, don’t 
you?” 


ELLA^^S ENDEAVOR. 


63 


“I suppose so; when we are old enough,” said 
Nan with a little laugh. 

“I know girls younger than you who are active 
members,” said Ella earnestly. “O girls, I wish 
you would promise to begin now, and not put it 
off any longer ! ” 

“I won’t be a Christian while Mr. Smith is 
here,” declared Harry. “It would disappoint 
him so ! He told me there was no hope for me, I 
acted so.” 

“Me too,” chimed in Nan. “We are past all 
hope, you see. Miss Preston.” 

“No one is past hope,” said she gently. 
“Would n’t you like to have an Endeavor So- 
ciety here, girls?” 

“I ’d like it well enough,” said Nan; “but I 
don’t want to join.” 

“We would go to the meetings, ” said Emma 
Baker, a girl who always did just what her friends 
told her. “ I like to go to prayer meetings when 
they are good.” 

“I think it would be nice,” said Lucy Nash 
timidly. 

Lucy was the daughter of a very strong-minded 
woman, who, though a very zealous Christian, was 


64 


BERTHA'' S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


a somewhat narrow one. She was bringing her 
daughter up not to love the pomps and vanities ; 
so, though she was seventeen, poor Lucy’s dresses 
barely reached the tops of her boots ; her hair was 
cut short like a boy’s, and her coarse, thick shoes 
were several sizes larger than her feet. 

“Now, girls,” said Ella earnestly, “promise 
me one thing, if a society is organized, that 
you will all join either as active or associate 
members.” 

“Associate members don’t have to be Christians, 
do they ? ” asked Nan. 

“They don’t have to bo,” replied Ella, “but 
they promise to think about it. ” 

“I ’ll promise to think about it. Miss Preston,” 
said Nan soberly. 

“We ’ll all join as associate members,” said 
Emma, “and go to the meetings.” 

“I ’ll become an active member if my mother 
is willing,” said Lucy quietly. 

“There! ” exclaimed Ella to Bertha, “we have 
one active member already; is n’t that encoura- 
ging?” 

“How are you going to organize?” asked 
Harry. 


ELLA'S ENDEAVOR. 


65 


“Why, just as you organize any society,” re- 
plied Ella. “ Whom would you like to have for 
your president? ” 

“Why, you, of course,” they all promptly 
replied. 

“No,” said she, shaking her head. “I shall 
only stay through the summer. You want some 
one who will be here all the time.” 

“There is n’t anyone, Ella,” laughed Harry. 
“You will have to be president if you want an 
Endeavor Society.” 

“Why can’t you be president?” asked Nan, 
turning to Bertha. 

“I could n’t take such a responsibility,” she 
replied; “besides, Ella has promised not to put 
any of her plan on me. ” 

“Is n’t there some young man who would take 
it?” asked Ella. 

“There are no young men, Ella,” laughed 
Harry, “and the boys are good for nothing.” 

Ella looked discouraged for the first time. It 
was worse than she had thought it could be. But 
Nan made a proposal which gave her a ray of 
hope. 


66 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“There is J. Murry, said she; “we forgot 
him, girls.” 

“Who is J. Murry?” asked Ella. 

“He is our school-teacher,” replied Harry. 
“You must see him, for he is a sight worth 
looking at.” 

“Is he a young man and a Christian?” asked 
Ella eagerly. 

“He is a young man,” replied Harry, “with 
a mustache that he was two years raising.” 

“Do you think he would be president?” 

“He would if you asked him,” said Harry 
frankly, “for he would n’t dare say no.” 

“ He would make the same prayer that he does 
every morning in school,” said Nan, “and read 
the Nineteenth Psalm.” 

“Fan Brown said that she was going to tear 
the Psalms out of J. Murry’s Bible, and see if 
he would n’t read somewhere else,” said Emma 
Baker. 

“ He would repeat the Nineteenth from memory 
if she did,” laughed Harry. 

These speeches would have shocked Mr. Smith ; 
but Ella was used to girls, and was not shocked 
a bit. She changed the subject, however; and 


ELLA'S ENDEAVOR. 


67 


though she said no more about the Christian 
Endeavor Society, she felt that her effort had 
not been in vain as she bade the girls good night, 
and sent them home full of raptures over the good 
time they had had. 


68 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


CHAPTER V. 

THE PRESIDENT. 

It had rained for two days, and all the lovely 
blossoms of the apple trees had been swept off and 
lay decaying on the ground. Bertha stood by the 
window in Ella’s room searching the sky in vain 
for some signs that it was clearing off, while her 
cousin made her toilet for the afternoon. 

“ When shall we make a raid on J. Murry ? ” 
the latter asked presently. 

Bertha turned round with a little start of sur- 
prise. 

“What do you mean?” she asked. 

“Just what I say,” replied Ella; “we must go 
to that gentleman and convince him that it 
is his duty to become president of our Endeavor 
Society. He will have honor thrust upon him for 
once.” 

“I was in hopes you had given up that idea,” 


THE PRESIDENT, 


69 


said Bertha, subsiding into the rocking-chair with 
a sigh. 

“If you knew me as well as some people do,” 
said Ella gravely, “ you would know that I never 
give up anything until I am obliged to.” 

“You might as well give this up first as last,” 
replied Bertha, “ for you will be obliged to sooner 
or later.” 

“ I don’t see it in that light at all, my dear 
Job’s comforter,” said Ella cheerfully. “I feel 
wonderfully encouraged. We are sure of three 
active members, — you and I and that little Nash 
girl, besides our president. Now, is n’t that a 
good beginning ? ” 

“Are you sure of your president?” asked 
Bertha with a doubting smile. 

“ The girls said J. Murry would n’t dare to 
refuse me.” 

“How are you going to ask him?” 

“I will attack him with all my persuasive 
powers,” declared Ella. “Do you think he will 
be able to resist them ? ” 

“But how will you be able to make the at- 
tack?” asked Bertha. “You don’t know him.” 

“You must introduce me.” 


70 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“Don’t count on me,” laughed Bertha. “I 
have but little acquaintance with the man, and 
hardly ever see him.” 

“Then I’ll get Harry to introduce me,” Ella 
declared. 

“How will you manage it?” Bertha persisted. 
“He never comes here.” 

“Then I will go to him,” Ella calmly replied. 
“I ’ll visit his school.” 

“Why, Ella Preston! ” exclaimed Bertha. 

“Why should n’t I visit his school?” demanded 
the young lady. “Does n’t he allow visitors?” 

“Of course,” replied Bertha; “but what will 
people say to your visiting the school on purpose 
to get acquainted with the teacher?” 

“I don’t see as it is any one’s business,” said 
Ella, shrugging her shoulders. 

“Our affairs are every one’s business here,” 
replied Bertha. “If you should do that they 
would talk and say all sorts of things.” 

“What would they say?” asked Ella. 

“I should think you might guess,” replied 
Bertha. “He is a young unmarried man.” 

“Would they think I wanted to marry him?” 
asked Ella, laughing. “ Is every one like Kezia ? 


THE PBESIDENT. 


71 


Can’t you speak to an unmarried man without 
being accused of having designs upon him? If 
that is the case, I don’t know whom to pity most, 
the young ladies or Mr. Murry. ” 

“It is different here from what it is in Boston,” 
was all the apology Bertha could make. 

“I should say it was!” Ella declared. “But 
because Mr. Murry is not blessed with a wife is 
no reason why he can’t be president of the Chris- 
tian Endeavor Society. But let us go down- 
stairs; auntie will be lonesome there alone.” 

Miss Moore had complained bitterly of the 
weather for the last two days, declaring that she 
had never experienced such cold weather in J une 
in all her life. 

Kezia took these remarks as a personal insult; 
and though she had not been able to get her clothes 
dry for the week, she declared that she enjoyed 
the rain. 

This afternoon Miss Moore had requested a fire 
in the sitting-room, and now sat beside it writing, 
while Kezia, who had drawn as far away from it 
as she could, sat clicking her knitting needles by 
the front window. 

“ How nice and cheery this is ! ” said Ella, draw- 
ing a rocking-chair up to the open fire. 


72 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ One would mildew in this weather if it were 
not for the fires,” replied her aunt. “Have you 
any message to send in my letter ? I have just 
told them that had the doctor known how much 
dampness they have down here he would never 
have advised you to come.” 

“ That will be message enough without my add- 
ing anything,” said Ella, opening her book. 

“I hope this rain will fill up the cistern,” 
remarked Kezia, gazing out of the windows, “ for 
it is most empty.” 

“We don’t want too much of a good thing,” 
laughed Bertha. “Why do you sit in that 
straight-backed chair, Kezia? Take the rocker.” 

“I ain’t a salamander,” retorted Miss Wilder, 
with a glance at her enemy’s aristocratic back, 
“and can’t roast over a fire in June.” 

Bertha smiled, but said no more, thinking the 
subject not a judicious one to pursue. The 
quartet pursued their different occupations un- 
interrupted, until a couple of umbrellas came 
up the lane, and Joe and Harry came in from 
school. 

“My letter! oh, my letter! ” cried Ella, holding 
out her hand as the twins entered the room. 


THE PRESIDENT. 


73 


“How do you know you ’ve got a letter?” de- 
manded Joe. 

“ How do I know that it rains out-of-doors, and 
that you went round by the post office for me?” 
she replied, still holding out her hand. “ Give it 
to me, that ’s a good boy.” 

“ He did n’t write this week,” said Joe solemnly. 
“Too bad! but he forgot all about it. Youth is 
fickle, and not to be trusted.” 

“ Oh, you bad boy ! ” said Ella, frowning. “ Give 
me my letter, and stop your nonsense.” 

“I tried to break it to her gently, but she 
wouldn’t let me,” sighed Joe. “It may have 
been delayed in the mail, and may come to-mor- 
row. Hello ! What is this ? ” and he pulled some- 
thing out of his pocket. 

“You are the worst boy! ” exclaimed Ella. “I 
am not going to tease you for my property ; keep 
it if you want to.” 

“It must be for Miss Moore,” said Joe, turning 
it over and over. “ She expected nothing, there- 
fore she shall not be disappointed,” and he 
dropped the thick epistle into that lady’s lap. 

“It is not for me, ’’said Miss Moore, picking up 
her eyeglasses to examine it. “It is yours of 
course, Ella.” 


74 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


The young lady received her letter with a 
reproachful glance at Joe, and, opening it, fell to 
reading its contents. 

“Oh, dear! ” sighed Harry, lying down on the 
sofa, “ if it does n’t clear off soon I shall mildew. 
I ’m not going to tramp through this mud any 
' longer, for J. Murry or any other man.” 

“You ’re not sweet enough to melt,” remarked 
Joe, “so you need n’t worry.” 

“The weather is very depressing,” said Miss 
Moore, wiping her pen. “I never experienced 
such a deplorable state of dampness.” 

“Your pa is glad enough to see the rain,” said 
Kezia to Harry, “for the grass was all drying 
up.” 

“ Let it dry, who cares ? ” replied Joe. “Won’t 
have to cut it if it does. I won’t be able to hay, 
anyway, for I ’m worn to a shadow now studying 
for examination.” 

“I guess it won’t kill you,” remarked Bertha 
unfeelingly. 

“You ’ll think of that speech when you follow 
me to an early grave,” sighed Joe. “There ’s 
only one thing that ’ll carry me through, and 
that ’s some of your popovers, Kezia.” 


THE PRESIDENT, 


75 


“You needn’t try to get round me,” replied 
Kezia; “I ’ll risk your dying yet awhile.” 

“ Is it examination week ? ” asked Ella, looking 
up from her letter. “When does your school 
close?” 

“Next Friday; thanks be to goodness!” said 
Harry fervently. 

“Are the examinations public? ” asked Ella. 

“They pretend to be,” replied Harry; “but no 
one ever comes in to hear them.” 

“Would it shock society if we went next 
Friday, Bertha?” laughed Ella. 

“I don’t know,” said she slowly. “I think 
you had much better give it all up.” 

“I shall not give it up without trying,” de- 
clared Ella. “We ’ll visit the school next 
Friday, anyway.” 

“You had better not,” spoke up Harry, “for we 
don’t want you.” ^ 

“You might take pity on a fellow,” added Joe. 
“Your presence will be too much for me in my 
feeble state, and I shall flunk on the spot.” 

“We are not going to see you, Joe,” said Ella 
sweetly; “our object is to make Mr. Murry’s 
acquaintance.” 


76 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“Here ’s a lark!” cried Joe. “Won’t I en joy- 
telling him! ” 

“Don’t you say one word to him,” commanded 
Bertha. “If you do I will never forgive you.” 

“Won’t I though,” declared Joe, winking at 
Ella. “ He ’ll thank me for a timely warning, so 
that he can put on his necktie with the blue spots 
in it.” 

“Joe, if you say anything to him, I won’t make 
another tart for you as long as I live,” said Bertha 
solemnly. “That is just as true as I sit here.” 

“I won’t tell on you. Bird,” said the youngster, 
alarmed at this dreadful threat; “but I ’ll just 
mention Ella’s intentions.” 

“I am perfectly willing,” said that young 
lady, calmly going on with her letter. “ I have 
not the least objection. ” 

“She takes it calmly,” remarked Joe. “J. 
Murry will be awfully flattered, and think he ’s 
made a mash on the young lady from Boston.” 

“Stop your nonsense, Joe!” ordered Bertha, 
“and go after the cows.” 

After trying in vain to tease his cousin, Joe 
obeyed, reminding Kezia of the popovers as he 
left the room. 


THE PRESIDENT 


77 


Harry still lay on the sofa, and, contrary to cus- 
tom, took no part in the conversation. Ella had 
set all the girls thinking, and they had had some 
serious talks among themselves since her tea 
party. 

Nan was very earnest and thoughtful, which 
troubled Harry, who felt that her friend was drift- 
ing away from her. Now, as she listened to the 
conversation, she could not help hoping that John 
Murry would refuse to be president, and that Ella 
would have to give up her idea of starting a 
Christian Endeavor Society. But there was no 
hope of her doing so until every means in her 
power had failed. 

It cleared off at last, and Friday morning Ella 
announced her intention of visiting the school, 
and declared that Bertha must go with her. 

“ There is not the ghost of a reason why you 
should not,” said she, “for your own brother and 
sister are there, and you ought to have interest 
enough in them to go and see what progress they 
have made during the term. The greatest busy- 
body in town can find no fault with you for 
that.” 

“I don’t care for the busybodies,” said Bertha 


78 


BEETUA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


slowly; “but I wonder what John Murry will 
think. ’ ’ 

“He ’ll think we want a Christian Endeavor 
Society,” said Ella promptly. “I had just as 
lief he knew what I came for as not.” 

“The girls act so silly about him,” Bertha 
objected. “You don’t know what idiots some of 
them are.” 

“I know girls are silly sometimes,” Ella re- 
plied, “ and it is not to be wondered at when they 
know only one young man; but we are not silly 
girls in our teens, Bertha, but sensible young 
ladies, and there is no reason in the world why 
we should not go to the schoolhouse to see Mr. 
Murry on business. ’ ’ 

Bertha consented with a sigh, on finding all her 
objections overruled, and went to her room, after 
dinner, to get ready for the occasion. ^ ince she 
had made up her mind to it, she thought she 
might as well dress up ; so she put on her black 
cashmere, took her best hat out of its bandbox, 
and indulged in the luxury of her one pair of kid 
gloves. She looked as quiet as a little nun beside 
Ella, who stood in the door waiting for her, in a 
suit of the faintest tint of green, with a dainty, 
stylish hat resting on her wavy hair. 


THE PRESIDENT. 


79 


Bertha’s misgivings returned in full force as 
they neared the schoolhouse, and she wondered 
what people would say if they knew for what 
object they were bound. When they reached the 
playground which surrounded the large white 
building, she would have been glad of an excuse 
to back out; but it was too late. Ella walked up 
to the door, then paused for Bertha to do the 
business. 

It was a very timid little knock that Bertha 
gave ; but the master heard it, and opened the door 
with a book in his hand. Even Ella could see 
that he was surprised, and as for Bertha, she did 
not know what to do, and an awkward pause fol- 
lowed the first greetings. 

Mr. Murry soon recovered himself, however, and 
asking his visitors in, gave them seats on the 
platform. 

Bertha felt the color creep into her cheeks as 
she glanced round the schoolroom and saw the 
laughing glances exchanged among the girls, and 
Ella found it hard work to keep sober as Joe laid 
his hand on his heart and heaved a profound sigh. 

If the master felt any embarrassment at the 
presence of his young lady guests he did not show 


80 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


it, but went on with his recitations as usual ; and 
as Ella watched him she decided that, as far as 
she could judge from outward appearance, he 
would do very well for the position she wanted 
him to fill. 

He was a young, slight-looking fellow, quick 
and active in his movements, and, though boyish 
in appearance, kept perfect order in his school, 
and, as Ella rightly surmised, the scholars obeyed 
from respect rather than fear. 

The session was half done when they came in, 
but Bertha dreaded the time for it to close, for 
then she must present her cousin, and make known 
her errand. 

The bell rang at last, and the scholars filed out. 
As the last one left the schoolroom the master 
turned to his guests. Introducing her cousin, 
Bertha plunged into her business at once, in order 
to have it over with as soon as possible, so that 
Ella could do the talking and make her own 
proposals. 

Mr. Murry’s face lighted up at the mention 
of a Christian Endeavor Society, and he said 
eagerly, “ I have thought of it often, and wished 
we might have one. I think it would do a great 
deal of good.” 


THE PRESIDENT. 


81 


“That is what my cousin thinks,” said Bertha, 
turning to Ella. “She wished to speak to you 
about it. ” 

“ Have you ever tried to start one, Mr. Murry? ” 
asked Ella, coming forward. 

“ I went so far as to speak to Mr. Smith about 
it,” he replied with a little smile. 

“I have spoken to Mr. Smith also,” said Ella. 
Then they both laughed outright. “ He is not in 
favor of it,” Ella continued; “but I think he 
will be when he finds it is a success. Don’t you 
think it would be well to start one, Mr. Murry ? ’ ’ 

The young man looked doubtful as he leaned 
against the desk, fingering his watch chain. 

“ One or two can not carry it on alone, ” said he. 
“It requires a band of workers.” 

“O Mr. Murry! please don’t discourage me,” 
pleaded Ella. “Everyone I have mentioned it 
to has thrown cold water on it, but I depended on 
you.” 

Mr. Murry was won by the earnest voice and 
pleading brown eyes, just as Bertha felt that he 
would be, and replied heartily : — 

“I will do all I can to help you. Miss Preston.” 

Ella was delighted, and thanked the young man 


82 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


as warmly as though he had promised to become 
president at once. 

Mr. Murry left the schoolroom with them, 
talking earnestly about the work with Ella, while 
Bertha listened, thinking how easily her cousin 
had won the young man to consent to her plan. 

“It ’s all owing to a pretty face and manner,’^ 
mused the young lady. “If John Murry was 
a woman he would think twice before pledging 
himself to such an undertaking; but being a 
young man he can’t refuse, and she knows it.” 

When they parted Ella said with a frankness 
which astonished Bertha, — 

“ If you will come up some evening, Mr. Murry, 
we can talk it over, and make our plans. ’ ’ 

“ Thank you ; I will, ’ ’ he replied ; and, touch- 
ing his hat, bade the two young ladies good-by. 

As for Bertha, her breath was fairly taken away 
to hear her cousin invite a young man to whom 
she had just been introduced to spend the even- 
ing with her. What would John Murry think? 
He had never been asked to spend an evening at 
the Whites’ before in his life. 

“Is n’t it nice?” said Ella as they walked on 
alone. “I was afraid that he would n’t consent 


THE PRESIDENT. 


83 


at first. I suppose I ought to have waited for you 
to ask him to come and see us, but I did n’t dare 
to, you are so ‘set’ against such things, as Kezia 
says. ” 

“It ’s well you did n’t wait for me,” laughed 
Bertha, “ for I never asked a young man to come 
and see me in my life.” 

“ Then I suppose I shocked you ! ’ ’ 

“Oh, no,” replied Bertha gayly. “I suppose 
it is all right in Boston.” 

“I wanted to talk it over with him,” said 
Ella, “and ask him to be president, and what 
other chance would I have to do so ? ” 

“ It ’s all right, ’ ’ said Bertha. “ I suppose be- 
tween you, you will get one started. ’ ’ 

“I hope so,” said Ella earnestly. “But I just 
happen to think — does Mr. Murry live here?” 

“Why, yes,” replied Bertha. “Why do you 
ask?” 

“I was afraid that he was n’t a native, and now 
that his school was done he would be going home 
on a vacation. In that case he would n’t do us 
any good.” 

“He lives here with his mother, who is a 
widow,” replied Bertha. “When he got through 


84 


BERTHA'S SVMMER BOARDERS. 


college he took this school, so that he could be 
with her. He has always been a good boy to his 
mother. ’ ’ 

“Then you must know him well,” said Ella. 
“I did n’t know you were old friends.” 

“We are not,” Bertha replied. “He has been 
away a great deal, and 1 have seen very little of 
him.” 

“You will get acquainted now,” said Ella, as 
they entered the hall, “for there is nothing like 
an Endeavor Society for making friends.” 

“Oh, dear! I dread it,” sighed Bertha. “You 
don’t know what you are planning.” 

“Don’t I?” laughed Ella. “You just wait and 
see. If I am not mistaken you will be very much 
surprised, my doubting Thomas.” With a gay 
nod Ella ran upstairs, leaving Bertha in the hall 
below. 


TEE FIEST MEETING. 


85 


CHAPTER VI. 

THE FIRST MEETING. 

Mr. John Murry accepted Ella’s invitation, 
and presented himself at the Whites’ the next 
Saturday evening. Bertha, who was not sur- 
prised to see him, had the parlor lit in his honor, 
and ushered him in. 

Ella was full of plans, and came in with her 
hands full of leaflets, newspaper cuttings, and 
slips relating to the business in hand, — that of 
organizing a local society of Christian Endeavor, 
— which she laid before their guest ; and soon the 
two were talking like old friends, while Bertha 
sat by listening, busy with some crochet thread- 
work. 

Of course Mr. Murry agreed to everything Ella 
proposed, and consented at once to being presi- 
dent, thus causing Bertha to smile wisely to 
herself, as she thought of the power a pair of 


86 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


brown eyes possessed, set under a white forehead, 
crowned with wavy, shining hair. 

“How many active members are you sure of?” 
Mr. Murry asked. 

“ I ’m only sure of one, ’ ’ laughed Ella. “ The 
little Nash girl promised to become one.” 

“There is Bertha,” said Mr. Murry, glancing at 
the young lady with the crochet work. 

“I don’t count on her at all,” said Ella, shak- 
ing her head, “ for she has discouraged me right 
straight along, and I have promised not to call on 
her for anything. ’ ’ 

“I shall join as an active member,” said Bertha 
quietly, “if you succeed in organizing a society.” 

“If we succeed! ” laughed Ella. “Just hear 
her!” 

“I think we shall succeed,” said Mr. Murry 
decidedly, “even if we do begin with only four 
active members.” 

As a result of Mr. Murry’s evening call at the 
Whites’ a notice was read from the pulpit the 
next day, inviting all those interested in organ- 
izing a Young People’s Society of Christian En- 
deavor to meet in the vestry the following 
evening. 


THE FIRST MEETING. 


87 


Before he went home Saturday evening Mr. 
Murry had called on his pastor. Mr. Smith still 
had no faith in the Endeavor movement doing any 
good in his church, but he was glad to have the 
young people take hold and try to help him in 
his work, and promised Mr. Murry to go to the 
vestry Monday evening, and help them all he 
could. 

“ Organizing an Endeavor Society will not 
make Christians,” said he, thinking he ought to 
warn the young man not to be too hopeful. “We 
need live Christians to enter into it in order to 
make it a success.” 

“God’s Spirit does not depend upon numbers,” 
said Mr. Murry. 

“That is so,” replied the minister; “and we 
must pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit in 
our meetings.” 

Monday evening the three girls from the Whites’ 
started early ; but the girls who had been at Ella’s 
tea party were at the vestry before them. The 
room was as uninviting as it had been the first 
evening Ella had entered it, and she could not 
help feeling a little discouraged as she thought of 
the handsome, well-lighted vestry-room where the 


88 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


earnest, wide-awake young people of her own 
Endeavor Society gathered in such large numbers 
every week. 

Mr. Smith came forward with a smile to greet 
her. 

“ I am afraid there are not enough here to organ- 
ize,” said he, shaking hands. “Still, there are as 
many as I expected. I hope you are not disap- 
pointed, Miss Preston?” 

“We are early,” said Ella, determined not to 
show her discouragement. “I think more are 
coming. ’ ’ 

Mr. Smith, shook his head doubtfully. 

“It is half-past seven,” said he, drawing out 
his watch. “ I am afraid we will not be able to 
do anything this evening.” 

“Mr. Murry is coming,” declared Ella, “and 
we can sing, anyway. Would n’t you like to try 
some of these hymns while we are waiting, girls? ” 

She broke away from Mr. Smith, and went to 
the little group gathered in the corner. Of course 
they would agree to anything Ella proposed, and 
followed her to the organ. It was old and out of 
tune, but Ella could make any instrument do its 
best; and opening the copy of Gospel Hymns 


THE FIRST MEETING. 


89 


which she had brought, she played one of the 
most familiar tunes, while the girls sang with a 
spirit which cheered John Murry’s heart as he 
opened the door and was greeted by the strains 
of “To The Work,” as he had never heard it sung 
in that vestry before. 

Mr. Smith met him with the same greeting he 
had given Ella. 

“I ’m afraid our undertaking is a failure,” said 
he, shaking hands, “and we will not be able to 
organize to-night.” 

“I don’t see why not,” said the young man, 
glancing at the group roupd the organ. “ There 
seems to be a goodly company here.” 

“Only a few girls,” replied the minister, “and 
it is after half-past seven.” 

“How many does it require to organize a Chris- 
tian Endeavor Society? ” asked the young man. 

“ Why, a dozen at least, to make it a success, ’ ’ 
the minister declared. “Don’t you think so? ” 

“Why, no,” said Mr. Murry. “I think two 
could do it, and we have two, four, six, eight, 
besides ourselves. I think there is no doubt about 
our being able to organize; do you. Miss Pres- 
ton?” 


90 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


Ella had left the organ and joined them. 

“Are there as many as you expected, Mr. 
Murry?” she asked. 

“ More, if anything, ’ ’ he replied promptly. “ If 
all those girls join we shall have a good society. 
We can sing at any rate, and have praise meetings, 
if nothing more.” 

“Then let us go to work at once,” said Ella 
eagerly, encouraged by John’s hopeful words and 
manner. 

Mr. Smith took the chair, and called the meet- 
ing to order, and the girls slipped into a seat, 
rather inclined to laugh at the smallness of the 
number. Ella felt discouraged for their sakes 
rather than her own; for she knew it would re- 
quire a great deal of courage for them to join the 
society, and pledge themselves to carry on a meet- 
ing once a week with no more to help and support 
them. 

There were five besides the girls from the 
Whites’, — Nan Winters, Emma Baker, Lucy 
Nash, and another of their schoolmates. Belle 
Ellis by name, who had come in out of curiosity 
to see what a Christian Endeavor Society was like. 
The fifth member of the group was too old to be 


THE FIRST MEETING. 


91 


called a girl. Etta Stewart was thirty, but she 
had always gone with girls much younger than 
herself, so they always counted her in as one of 
them. She had been a member of the church for 
years, but her voice was never heard in the prayer 
meetings ; and so, though Ella greeted her warmly 
when they were introduced, Bertha felt that she 
could not be counted on for much help in their 
new work. 

Mr. Smith opened the meeting, and explained 
the method of carrying on a Christian Endeavor 
Society; read the pledge, and some extracts from 
the model constitution, winding up his speech by 
saying that though some thought it was best to 
organize that night, he would like to hear an 
expression of the meeting on the question. 

A little pause followed, and then John Murry 
got onto his feet, and expressed his views in a 
way that caused Ella to rejoice that she had en- 
listed this young man as a co-laborer. 

He and Ella carried the day, and they decided 
to organize. Mr. Smith acted as chairman, and 
Etta Stewart, being one of those convenient young 
ladies who carry lead pencils in their pockets, pro- 
duced one, and he proceeded to take down the 


92 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


names of those who would join as active or associ- 
ate members. John, Ella, and Bertha promptly 
gave theirs as active members. Etta reluctantly 
put hers down with theirs, and then Mr. Smith 
advanced, pencil in hand, to where the girls sat. 

“ I suppose you young ladies will join as associ- 
ate members,” said he. “Shall I put you down 
as one. Miss Winters?” 

“I will join as active, if you please,” said Nan 
in a low tone, flushing painfully at the glances of 
astonishment which were cast in her direction. 

“Active member! did you say. Miss Winters? ” 
asked Mr. Smith, pausing, pencil in hand, in 
great surprise. 

“Yes, if you please,” repeated Nan in a plead7 
ing tone, as though asking for a great favor. 

“There is another who will join as an active 
member,” said Ella, turning toward the girls with 
a radiant face. “Miss Nash will hand in her 
name too.” 

“No,” said Lucy quietly; “I have changed my 
mind. My mother is not willing for me to join 
as an active member.” 

Ella’s face fell, but she turned to Emma, and 
asked her in a low tone if she had decided how 


THE FIRST MEETING. 


93 


she would join. Emma had not thought of be- 
coming an active member when she entered the 
vestry; but since Nan had, and Ella wanted her 
to, she gave her name to Mr. Smith, Avho wrote it 
under the others in a bewildered manner. 

Harry and Belle handed theirs in as associate 
members, the latter not because she wanted to join, 
but because she did not know how to refuse ; and 
they proceeded to organize. 

John was elected president, and Bertha, much 
against her will, was chosen vice president. Etta 
Stewart, being a very methodical person, as was 
proved by the pencil, was made secretary and 
treasurer. Ella refused to take an office herself, 
because she would only be with them for the sum- 
mer, but consented to be chairman of the Prayer 
Meeting Committee; and they were all put on the 
Lookout Committee. 

“And now,” said Mr. Smith, “if there is no 
other business to come before the meeting, a motion 
to adjourn will be in order.” 

“Don’t you think,” asked Ella timidly, “that 
it would be well to have a prayer and hymn 
before we close ? ’ ’ 

Mr. Smith agreed; and as they bowed their 


94 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


heads while he asked "a blessing on the society 
they had just formed, nearly all consecrated them- 
selves to the new work which they had entered 
upon. 

“Are you satisfied?” asked Bertha of her 
cousin. “You have got a Christian Endeavor 
Society at last.” 

Ella turned from Nan, with whom she had been 
exchanging a few whispered words, with a bright 
face. 

“ I am not satisfied, ’ ’ she replied, “ but I do feel 
hopeful, don’t you?” 

“I don’t know,” said Bertha doubtfully. “It 
still seems like a great undertaking to me.” 

“Poor Bertha! ” laughed Ella. “I believe you 
will never forgive me for drawing you into the 
society against your will.” 

“Yes, she will,” said John, joining them; “for 
this is going to succeed now that we have had the 
faith to start. ’ ’ 

“ All we need is faith, ” said Ella. “ I own that 
T was discouraged when we came in to-night, but 
Nan has given me fresh hope.” 

“Lucy Nash surprised me more than Nan did,” 
said John; “but I think her mother is to blame. 


THE FIRST MEETING. 


95 


If the girl had been let alone she would have 
joined as an active member.” 

“I can’t imagine a mother opposing a daughter’s 
joining a Christian Endeavor Society,” said Ella. 
“Does n’t she believe in religion?” 

“On the contrary, she is very religious, ” replied 
J ohn, “ but she has very narrow views. She was 
my Sunday-school teacher once, and I ’m afraid we 
treated her with none too much respect, though I 
honestly believe we would have liked her better 
if she had only dressed like other ladies, and tried 
to make her personal appearance more attractive.” 

This speech surprised Bertha. She knew the 
lady in question well, but she did not suppose 
that John Murry knew anything about a lady’s 
dress. It seemed that he did, however, and no 
doubt admired Ella’s stylish costumes. Bertha 
heaved a little sigh as she watched her pretty 
cousin. 

Harry and Nan went home together that night 
arm in arm, schoolgirl fashion, with their heads 
bent close together. 

“How did you come to do it. Nan?” Harry 
was saying. “I did n’t know you were thinking 
of such a thing.” 


96 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ I have been thinking ever since that night at 
your house, ” Nan replied. “ You know your cousin 
said if we were not for God we were against him. 
I could n’t get those words out of my head.” 

“ I know, ’ ’ replied Harry. “ I have felt uncom- 
fortable ever since that night. ’ ’ 

“This is the only way, Harry,” said Nan earn- 
estly. “If we want to be saved we must ask 
Christ to be our Saviour.” 

“ Only think what you have pledged yourself to 
do,” said Harry. “You have got to take part in 
every meeting.” 

“I know,” replied Nan; “but if I wasn’t 
pledged, I ’m afraid I should never get the cour- 
age to speak at all. I hope I will not be ashamed 
to say I want to be a Christian.” 

As Nan said these words Harry respected her as 
she never had before, and wished that she too 
could break the fetters which bound her and take 
a decided stand for Christ; but, instead of saying 
so, she began to discourage the young Christian. 

“You will have to lead when it is your turn,” 
said she. “Imagine your leading a prayer meet- 
ing, Nan Winters!” 

“Will I, really? ” asked Nan in dismay. 


TEE FIRST MEETING. 


97 


“ Of course you will, ’ ’ declared Harry. “ Think 
of sitting up in the desk like Mr. Smith! ” 

“Oh, I won’t do it!” cried Nan in alarm. 
“ITl coax the Prayer Meeting Committee to let 
me off.” 

“You are pledged to do it when you are called 
upon,” said Harry, who had made a study of the 
constitution. 

Nan walked on for a few minutes with bent 
head, but at last she drew a long breath and said 
softly, — 

“ I can do it if Christ helps me, and of course 
he will.” 

This silenced Harry. It seemed as though her 
friend had gone way beyond her, when in reality 
she had only become as a little child, and begun 
to grow up in her Father’s likeness. 

The next afternoon Bertha appeared at her 
cousin’s door with the announcement that she had 
a caller downstairs. 

“It is Mrs. Nash,” said she. “She inquired 
very particularly for you. Perhaps she has come 
to see about Lucy’s joining the Endeavor Society.” 

“Oh, I hope so! ” said Ella eagerly. “I ’ll go 
right down and see. ’ ’ 


98 


BERTHA^ S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


A tall, thin lady rose to greet her as she entered 
the room, and Ella’s first thought was of what 
John Murry had said the night before about his 
old Sunday-school teacher. Nature had not lav- 
ished her charms upon Mrs. Nash, and she wore 
her clothes simply as a covering for her body, with- 
out regard to style or taste, so it was no wonder 
that her personal appearance had not prepossessed 
a class of boys in her favor. 

“ I have come to see you about that society just 
organized. Miss Preston,” she began. “Lucy 
wished to join, but I thought it best to make some 
inquiries first.” 

Ella was all ready to answer inquiries, and 
launched at once into a description of the Chris- 
tian Endeavor work. 

“You can get a better idea of it from this little 
book,” said she, handing her visitor the little gilt- 
edged copy she had brought downstairs with her. 
“It contains the constitution and a copy of the 
pledge which the members sign. ’ ’ 

“ I have read a good deal about the Christian 
Endeavor Society,” said the lady, “but it seems 
to me that it is too liberal in its views.” 

“I have found it a great help to me,” said Ella, 


THE FIRST MEETING. 


99 


wondering if there was such a thing as naving too 
much charity. 

“ But there is danger of its causing young people 
to forget the importance of a creed,” said Mrs. 
Nash, pulling at the loose fingers of her gloves. 
“ I understand that the society embraces all de- 
nominations. ” 

“That is the beauty of it, ” said Ella eagerly. 
“The difference in sect can not come into the 
Christian Endeavor Society.” 

“ I think it very unwise to allow young people 
such liberty,” said Mrs. Nash gravely, shaking 
her head, “for it may prove a great injury to 
them. This is an age of doubt and infidelity, 
Miss Preston, and we can not be too careful with 
those who are under our care.” 

“I think the rapid growth of the Christian 
Endeavor Society is a testimony of the good it is 
doing,” said Ella decidedly. “Surely God has 
blessed it! ” 

“But embracing all doctrines can not be any- 
thing but hurtful,” the lady declared. “I am a 
Baptist and can not unite with a people who do 
not believe in close communion and are so very 
lax about baptism.” 


100 


BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ Communion and baptism are questions which 
do not come up in our Christian Endeavor Soci- 
eties,” replied Ella, amused in spite of herself. 
“Because your daughter is a Baptist is no reason 
why she can not join. I don’t believe we would 
refuse to admit a Roman Catholic if one wished 
to join with us.” 

Mrs. Nash was horrified; and after such a dread- 
ful statement all Ella’s pleading that she would 
let her daughter join was vain. All she could 
accomplish was to coax her to take a copy of the 
constitution and look it over. 

“Poor Lucy!” thought Ella, as she watched 
her visitor go down the lane. “ How thankful I 
am that my lines have fallen among people with 
broader views! ” 


A BOY CIlBISTIAIi. 


101 


CHAPTER VIL 

A BOY CHRISTIAN. 

The next week public feeling underwent a 
change, and the Christian Endeavor Society be- 
came popular. Nan Winters joining as an active 
member created quite a sensation among her young 
friends, who watched her curiously, to see if be- 
coming a Christian made any difference in her. 
Some of the older people shook their heads, and 
said they were afraid she did not know what she 
was doing, and Harry White would be joining as 
an active member next. 

Ella carried the meeting on her heart all the 
week, and prayed earnestly that it might be a 
success, and accomplish a great deal of good. 

Monday afternoon the Lookout Committee 
went down to the vestry, rearranged the seats, 
banished the large, old-fashioned desk, and placed 
a small stand covered with a gay red cloth, with 


102 


BEBTHA'8 SUMMER BOARDERS. 


a couple of chairs on either side, in its place ; and 
as a finishing touch Ella put a vase of flowers 
upon it, and another on the organ. When they 
had finished the room bore a changed aspect. 

At five o’clock, as Harry sat in the hammock, 
waiting for Ella and Bertha to return, she saw a 
stranger coming up the lane. It was a young 
man, tall, straight, and slim, dressed in a suit of 
light summer clothes, carrying a gripsack in one 
hand, and some things strapped together in the 
other. Harry’s first thought was that he was a 
peddler, — such gentlemen being not unusual at 
that time of year, — and leaving the hammock she 
approached the house. The gentleman had seen 
her, however, and, politely lifting his hat, accosted 
her before she reached the door. 

Harry replied to his “ good-afternoon ” rather 
coolly. She snubbed all peddlers from principle ; 
but this young gentleman was not to be snubbed. 

“ May I ask for a few minutes of your valuable 
time?” he said, setting his grip down on the 
step, and taking up the articles he had strapped 
together. “ I have something here that I think 
you would like to see.” 

“I do not care to buy to-day,” said Harry de- 


A BOY CHRISTIAN. 


103 


cidedly, “ so you had better not waste your time 
by showing your things. ’ ’ 

“ But I have something here which I think you 
would like/’ the peddler persisted. “It is a very 
nice rifle, warranted to bring down any game at 
a distance of ten feet.” 

Harry was not naturally timid, but she was 
afraid of firearms, and so drew back when the 
handsomely mounted rifle was presented for her 
inspection. 

“ What do you suppose I want of a gun ? ’ ’ she 
demanded. 

“Ladies are sometimes very fond of them,” he 
replied. “Let me show you howto load. You 
put the shot in that ’ ’ — 

“I don’t care how it is loaded,” interrupted 
Harry. “I never expect to go gunning, as any 
one with sense would know. ’ ’ 

Even this withering remark did not crush the 
peddler. 

“Wouldn’t you like a little rifle practice?” 
he inquired. “ Put a board on that tree to serve 
for a mark. You would find it very amusing, I 
think.” 

“I don’t think I shall try to find out whether 


104 BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS, 


it is amusing or not,” said Harry scornfully. 
“Girls. can find something to do besides shooting 
off guns, if boys can’t.” 

“I thought women wanted equal rights with 
men,” said the peddler. “You should practice, 
to show that you can shoot as well as we can.” 

“We may want equal rights,” replied Harry, 
“ but we are too sensible to indulge in all their 
foolish habits.” 

“Then you think hunting is foolish?” 

“I think it is cruel,” declared Harry, “and I 
would n’t buy a gun for anything; so you 
need n’t spend your time trying to coax me.” 

“Perhaps this lady will,” for Kezia, hearing 
voices, had come to the door. 

“Who are you, and what do you want?” she 
demanded, sharply eying the young stranger. 

“lam your humble servant, ma’am,” said he, 
taking off his hat and bowing low. “ I only ask 
a few minutes of your time to look at my wares. 
This is a first-class rifle, warranted to kill ” — 

“Mercy on us!” cried Kezia, throwing her 
apron over her head. “Don’t you point that 
thing at me.” 

“It won’t go off, madam, unless I pull the 



“ Who are you, and what do yon wnnt? ” 







I 





* 

( 










rS 


I 



V 


A BOY CHBISTIAN, 


105 


trigger.” The young man’s dark eyes danced 
with mischief as he rested his gun against his 
shoulder, and pointed the muzzle straight at Miss 
Wilder’s head. 

“Oh! oh! Don’t you fire that thing on this 
place,” cried Kezia. “Where is my broom?” 

Whether she wanted the broom for self-defense, 
or intended to drive the peddler off with it was 
never known, for just then Bertha and Ella came 
up the lane. The sun was in Ella’s eyes, so that 
at first she could not see the group by the steps, 
but when she got into the shadow she sprang for- 
ward with a glad cry, and seized hold of the 
peddler by bot hands. 

“Clifford Preston!” she exclaimed. “Where 
did you come from? ” 

“Right from the Hub, ma’am,” he replied. 
“ Where the east wind bloweth ; the potato 
groweth; and the voice of the codfish is heard 
in the land. Are n’t you awfully glad to see 
me?” 

“ Who told you you might come ? ’ ’ she de- 
manded. 

“The old lady. She entreated me to come 
down and see that nothing happened to you and 
Auntie Moore.” 


106 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“What a story! ” cried Ella. “I imagine that 
you gave mamma no peace, and when school closed 
she was glad to get rid of you. Have you asked 
Bertha if she will have mercy upon you, and take 
you in ? ’ ’ 

The others stood watching the brother and sis- 
ter in laughing surprise. Harry had sunk speech- 
less on the doorstep on learning that the vender 
of firearms was the glorious Clifford Preston she 
had heard so much about, while Kezia stood ready 
to run if the terrible rifle showed any signs of 
going off. 

At his sister’s question Clifford turned to 
Bertha, cap in hand, and said coaxingly, — 

“You won’t turn me weary and foot-sore from 
your door, will you ? ’ ’ 

“It would be decidedly cruel,” she replied. 
“We are told to entertain strangers, so there ought 
not to be any doubt about cousins.” 

“Don’t be rash, Bertha,” warned Ella. “You 
have no idea what an appetite he has.” 

“Now that is a libel,” he declared in an in- 
jured tone. “I don’t care anything about eating 
after dinner, and never dispose of more than a 
dozen doughnuts at a time.” 


A BOY CHRISTIAN. 


107 


“You must consult Kezia on the subject of 
rations,” said Ella. “Will you undertake to 
cook all the delicacies my brother’s feeble consti- 
tution requires? ” 

“That lady and I are first-rate friends already,” 
said Clifford, turning to Kezia. “ She is a good 
judge of firearms, and was on the point of buying 
my rifle when you came along and spoiled the 
trade.” 

“If you are coming here to stop I hope you 
won’t bring that thing into the house,” said 
Kezia, keeping a doubtful eye on the rifle. 

“You ought to buy this to keep off tramps,” he 
replied. “It is better than a broom. See me 
knock that pail off the well curb, ’ ’ and the mis- 
chievous boy placed his rifle against his shoulder, 
at which awful sight Kezia threw her apron over 
her head and ran into the house. 

“Now, Clifford Preston,” said his sister, “if 
you don’t behave yourself I shall send you back to 
Boston on the next train.” 

“Did you ever see such tyranny?” he de- 
manded, turning to the others. “When I am 
going to vote in two years too, and am captain 
of Company B. Here, sis, take my traps in- 


108 


BEBTHA'^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


to the house; I am going to find my Cousin 
Joe.” 

“That is the way he has been spoiled,” said 
Ella, as her brother laid his baggage at her feet. 
“ They have all bowed down and worshiped him 
ever since he made his advent, solely because he is 
the only male representative of the family.” 

“ And am but a broken staff to lean upon at 
that,” he added in a plaintive tone. “Where is 
Auntie Moore ? Don’t tell her I am here, for joy 
and surprise at seeing me may move her to tip. ’ ’ 

“I will promise,” said Ella, “and let her enjoy 
her present peace and quiet as long as possible.” 

“Where shall I find Joe?” asked Clifford. 
“Give me my bearings and I ’ll ferret him out.” 

“He is in the barn,” said Bertha. “You will 
have no difficulty in finding that.” 

Clifford started off, and walked in on Joe just 
as he was in the act of tying up the cows. 

“Hello! ” said Clifford, pausing in the door. 

Joe stared as though he saw an apparition in 
the form of the handsome, well-dressed young 
fellow who had appeared so suddenly, and replied 
rather doubtfully, “Hello yourself.” 

“I take it you don’t know me,” said the new- 


A BOY CHRISTIAN. 


109 


comer advancing ; “ but we are cousins, so give us 
a shake. ’ ’ 

“Are you Cliff Preston?” asked Joe rather 
ungraciously, for he had a prejudice against the 
Boston fellow who did n’t have to work for a 
living. 

“ I make out to be, ’ ’ replied the owner of that 
name. “And you are Joe White, I take it. How 
are you, old fellow?” 

Joe came round and shook hands, but he did 
not fancy the city boy’s walking in and finding 
him at his work. He was sensitive in regard to 
the difference in their positions, and had no doubt 
but that the city boy would look down on a fellow 
whom he found tying up cows. 

But if Clifford had any such feeling he did not 
show it, for he began at once . to make plans in 
regard to hunting and fishing with his cousin on 
most friendly terms. 

Fishing is one topic on which boys in any sta- 
tion of life can meet on equal terms, and Joe soon 
forgot that his cousin was well-dressed, with shin- 
ing collar and cuffs, while he was in his shirt 
sleeves and overalls ; and when Harry came out to 
call them to supper, she found Clifford seated on 


110 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


the ladder leading up into the haymow, engaged 
in an earnest discussion with Joe, who was on 
the milking stool, busily milking his father’s 
cows. 

“You will be late to supper if you don’t 
hurry,” said she, standing in the wide barn 
door, and looking from one boy to the other. 

“I say, Cousin Harry,” said Clifford, getting 
off the ladder and approaching her, “do you 
always treat peddlers the way you did me ? ’ ’ 

“A real peddler would n’t be so silly as to try 
and sell guns to a girl, ’ ’ said she, tossing her 
head. 

“ I thought first I would be an umbrella mend- 
er,” he replied. “What would you have done 
in that case ? ’ ’ 

“I would n’t have treated you any better,” she 
declared, “for I can’t bear peddlers of any kind.” 

“ Then I ’ll never pretend to be one again, ” said 
he. “ If Ella had n’t appeared when she did that 
old lady would have driven me off with her 
broomstick. Do you suppose she will give me 
any supper ? ’ ’ 

“You can come up to the house and see,” said 
Harry graciously. “ Supper is nearly ready.” 


A SOY CHRISTIAN. 


Ill 


The three started for the house, Joe bearing a 
brimming pail of milk in either hand. 

Kezia met them at the kitchen door. 

“Now, don’t slop water all over the floor,” said 
she as Joe brought out wash basin and towels. 
“Your pa washed without spattering a drop, but 
I might as well talk to the wind as to you.” 

“Be easy on a fellow, Kezia,” pleaded Joe, 
making a great splashing in the sftik. “ Pa ’s a 
widower, and knows if he is n’t careful he won’t 
get another wife.” 

“Joseph White! ” cried Kezia, turning on him 
threateningly, “if you have over any more of 
your nonsense not another popover will you get 
out of me. It is bad enough to have to live 
with a widower without his own son making 
talk.” 

Meanwhile Clifford had followed Harry into the 
dining room, where the family were just gathering 
round the table. At sight of her nephew Miss 
Moore uttered a slight scream. 

“Clifford Preston!” she exclaimed. “How 
came you here ? ” 

“I came to see you, auntie,” said he, gallantly 
saluting her cheek. “I could n’t live without 


112 


BEBTUA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


you any longer. Just see how thin I have grown 
since we parted ! ’ ’ 

The lady’s lips relaxed into a slight smile. It 
was evident that her nephew was the idol of her 
heart. 

“Why did you take us by surprise?” she 
asked. “You should have sent word you were 
coming.” 

“Could not stop to telegraph,” he replied. 
“ Knew you were pining to see me, so tore down 
here as fast as I could.” 

“ How long has he been here, Ella? ” she asked, 
turning to her niece. 

“I found him on the steps when I came home,” 
she replied. “Clifford, you have not spoken to 
Mr. White. Cousin John, this is my brother.” 

Mr. White shook hands with the boy, giving 
him a warm welcome. 

“He is taller than Joe,” said he, looking from 
one to the other. “You must hurry and catch up 
with him, my son.” 

“Poor Joe is n’t long for this world,” said 
Clifford with a profound sigh, patting his cousin 
on the shoulder. 

“You got the start of me by two years,” replied 


A BOY CHRISTIAN, 


113 


Joe. “You wait and see if I am not as long as 
you by the time I ’m twenty-one.” 

“Company drill gives boys fine figures,” ob- 
served Miss Moore. “All Boston boys carry 
themselves well.” 

“ Auntie Moore thinks Boston is located in the 
region of paradise,” said her nephew saucily, 
“and that the Garden of Eden was near Back 
Bay, and afterwards submerged. Say, auntie, 
won’t we have fine times fishing and hunting? ” 

“I hope you have n’t brought that dreadful 
gun,” said she. 

“Why, of course I have,” he replied. “You 
people will live on game while I am here.” 

“You need n’t expect me to cook your game,” 
spoke up Kezia. 

Firearms was a subject on which Kezia and 
Miss Moore could agree. 

After supper, when Joe’s work was done, the 
two boys were out on the front steps with Harry, 
when Ella appeared. 

“Come, boys,” said she, “it is time to start for 
meeting.” 

“Hope you don’t think I ’m going,” said Joe 
in that superior tone boys are fond of using toward 


114 


BERTH A^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


things in which they do not care to show their 
interest. 

“Of course you are going,’’ Ella declared. 
“We won’t let you stay at home.” 

“And be the only boy ?” retorted Joe. “No 
ma’am, not by a long chalk.” 

“You won’t be the only boy,” said Ella. 
“Cliff is going, and Mr. Murry will be there.” 

“ J. Murry don’t count,” said Joe with a grin. 
“He is n’t a boy.” 

“Indeed, Mr. Murry does count,” replied Ella 
decidedly. “You don’t begin to appreciate him 
as you ought. ’ ’ 

“What are they talking about?” Clifford 
asked Harry. “Where does Ella want Joe to 
gor- 

“A great event takes place to-night,” replied 
Harry. “We are going to have our first Endeavor 
meeting.” 

“We have our Endeavor meetings Monday 
evenings,” said Clifford. “It will seem real 
natural to go.” 

“Do you belong?” asked Harry in surprise, 
for it had never occurred to her that boys like 
Clifford joined Endeavor societies. 


A BOY CHRISTIAN. 


115 


“Why, yes, of course,” he replied. “Don’t 
you? ” 

“I am an associate member,” said she. “Ella 
has just started ours, and we are going to have 
our first meeting to-night.” 

“That is just like Ella,” said Clifford proudly. 
“You T1 like it, for they are lots of help.” 

“Are you an active member?” asked Harry 
timidly. 

“Oh, yes,” he replied. “I ’m awfully glad 
you have one down here, for I tell you I miss ’em 
when I can’t go, for they are lots of help towards 
keeping a fellow straight.” 

“I wish you had your cornet here. Cliff,” said 
his sister. “ It would be such a help in the sing- 
ing. I depend a great deal on that.” 

“ I should think you would know that I wouldn’t 
venture so far from home without my cornet,” 
said he in a hurt tone. “ What solace would I 
have for my weary hours without it ? ” 

“You blessed boy!” cried his sister. “You 
were a jewel to bring it. It will come right in 
play this evening.” 

“Will they have a drum, tambourine, and the 
rest of the Salvation Army orchestra?” he in- 
quired. 


116 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“No,’’ she replied; “only an organ, dreadfully 
out of tune, and your cornet.” 

“ Who will play the organ ? ” he asked. 

“ I will ; so go and get your cornet, and I will 
tell you what hymns we have selected.” 

The brother and sister went into the house, 
leaving Joe and Harry alone. 

“How do you like him? ” asked the boy. 

“ I don’t know, ” replied the girl. “ You might 
have knocked me over with a feather when he 
said he was an active member.” 

“Me too,” replied Joe. “He is the last one I 
should take for a religious chap.” 

A “religious chap” in Joe’s deluded imagina- 
tion, was a solemn, sanctimonious youth, shunned 
by all his companions, and standing outside of all 
boyish fun, as unlike Clifford Preston as one 
could well be. So it was no wonder that the 
young man surprised him. 


NAN'S FIRST ENDEAVOR. 


117 


CHAPTER VIII. 
nan’s first endeavor. 

Clifford would have been surprised to have 
learned how he had astonished his cousins, as he 
walked between them to the vestry with his 
cornet case in his hand. 

Joe had intended to go to the meeting all the 
time, in spite of the answer he had given Ella, but 
he had expected to do as the other youths of the 
village did, hang round the door until the meet- 
ing began, and then slip into the back seat, and 
perhaps not keep as orderly and quiet as could be 
wished. The young gentlemen of his acquaint- 
ance were already there in a row on the railing 
when they reached the vestry, but Clifford showed 
not the slightest intention of lingering among 
them, and Joe was obliged to follow him right 
into the vestry. 

The room was very well filled, and looked pleas- 


118 BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 

ant and cheerful. It seemed to Ella as though 
even the lights burned better than usual. 

Mr. Murry came forward to meet them. 

“Is n’t this encouraging?” said he. “I think 
we are going to have a good meeting.” 

“I have brought another helper,” said Ella. 
“My brother, Mr. Murry.” 

“She made me bring my cornet,” said he after 
shaking hands. “I don’t suppose she consulted 
any one else, for she seems to have everything her 
own way here.” 

“It is right welcome, I assure you,” said Mr. 
Murry warmly. “ It is just what we need to lead 
the singing.” 

The newcomers were the center of all eyes, and 
when Harry took her seat among the girls she was 
eagerly questioned. 

“ Who is he ? When did he come ? Is he going 
to stay?” 

“Is n’t he handsome!” said Emma Baker with 
a sentimental sigh. “You ’ll give me an intro- 
duction, won’t you, Harry?” 

No wonder Clifford roused a good deal of inter- 
est in the girls, for their acquaintances were youths 
who sat on the fence outside, and would have no 


NAN^S FIRST ENDEAVOR. 


119 


more advanced to the front of the room and taken 
a seat among the girls than they would have com- 
mitted suicide. 

John Murry, who was to lead, seated himself 
by the red-covered stand. Ella placed herself 
at the organ, and the meeting was opened. Of 
course there was a great deal of singing, and, led 
by the cornet, it was so inspiring that every one 
felt like joining. 

When the meeting was thrown open, Ella left 
the organ and took a seat beside Nan Winters, who 
had separated herself from the other girls, and sat 
in the corner with her Bible open on her lap. 
Ella knew that she would need help in making 
her first public confession, and took her place 
beside her with an encouraging smile. 

The testimonies were prompt, though brief. 
Harry and Joe could not tell which impressed 
them the most, the few earnest words Bertha 
spoke, or the sight of Clifford on his feet giving 
his earnest testimony to the love of Christ. 

Nan spoke six words, and no one but Ella knew 
what an effort they cost her. Again and again she 
opened her lips, but her voice would not come. 
Afraid that her courage would fail her altogether. 


120 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Ella took her Bible, and, opening it in a new place, 
pointed out one line in it. Nan saw it, and in a 
low voice repeated, without rising : — 

“ ‘In God put I my trust.’ ” 

That was all; but those acquainted with the 
girl knew it meant a great deal. 

Before he closed the meeting Mr. Murry asked 
all present to remain to a social gathering, for 
Ell^ believed in hand shaking. In her own so- 
ciety a great many young strangers were drawn 
in and welcomed during the five or ten minutes 
social at the close ; but now as soon as the Mizpah 
benediction was repeated the boys in the back seat 
vanished as if by magic, and the girls soon fol- 
lowed, so only the active members remained in a 
little knot in the middle of the room. 

“O Miss Preston! ” Nan exclaimed, “you don’t 
know how you helped me ! I had an awful dream 
last night. I thought I went to the meeting 
and did not take part, and Mr. Smith told me 
that I was not fit to be an active member, and that 
I had better take my name off and go home. It 
was such a relief to wake up and find it all a 
dream, though if it had not been for you, I am 
afraid it would have come true.” 


NAN^S FIRST ENDEAVOR. 


121 


“Oh, I don’t believe that!” declared Ella. 
“Hard as it was, you would have conquered.” 

“I ’m afraid not,” Nan replied. “I had a verse 
selected, and thought of something to say, but I 
could n’t find my voice; it was gone. It is so 
hard, I ’m afraid I will break my pledge, and then 
Mr. Smith will turn me out.” 

“Mr. Smith shall not do anything of the kind,” 
said Ella decidedly. “ Let me whisper something 
to you. Nan, — ask Jesus to help you. He will 
make it easier. ’ ’ 

“I will; I will,” said Nan eagerly. “He sent 
you to help me to-night.” 

“I ’m so glad,” said Ella, giving Nan’s hand a 
little squeeze as she bade her good night. 

“Did n’t we have a glorious meeting?” said 
Mr. Murry to Bertha, as he gathered up his books. 
“ Miss Preston advised me to keep it only three 
quarters of an hour, but an hour had gone before 
I realized it.” 

“It surprised me,” replied Bertha. “I never 
went to a meeting I enjoyed so much before.” 

“We don’t know what good prayer meetings 
are down here,” said Mr. Murry. “Did you see 
how interested those girls seemed? ” 


122 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ Yes,” replied Bertha. “ I am surprised to see 
how much good our effort has done already.” 

“ I feel condemned to think we did n’t make the 
effort before,” Mr. Murry replied. “If it had not 
been for your cousin we would not have made one 
now. Here she comes. How do you feel. Miss 
Preston? ” 

“ As the Methodists do when they shout halle- 
lujah,” she replied. “But how do you feel, my 
doubting Thomas?” 

“I am a doubting Thomas no longer,” Bertha 
replied. “But I can’t understand it.” 

“ ‘ According to your faith be it unto you, ’ ’ ’ 
quoted Mr. Murry. “ That is the promise to us. 
What we want is faith. ’ ’ 

“Yes, and works, ’’added Ella. “If they go 
hand in hand we shall have glorious results. ’ ’ 

The next morning Clifford rose betimes, eager 
to start at once for the woods. He had come 
down there to hunt and fish, and wanted to be off 
as soon as possible. Joe seconded him, and Mr. 
White indulgently told his son that he might have 
the rest of the week, and take a little vacation 
until haying time. 


NAN^S FIRST ENDEAVOR. 


123 


“I should think you might stay here one day,” 
said Ella at the breakfast table, “ before you go off 
into the woods.” 

“To be eaten up by mosquitoes,” added Harry. 
“You ’ll be such frights when you get back that 
we won’t know you.” 

“ Then I ’ll pass myself off for a tramp instead 
of a peddler,” said Clifford. “Do you drive 
tramps off with your broomstick, Kezia? ” 

“You won’t fool me again,” declared Kezia. 
“I ’d know you now if you tried to make me 
think you was a wild Injun.” 

“I hope you are not thinking of taking your 
rifle, Clifford,” said Miss Moore. “It is not pru- 
dent. ’ ’ 

“I could n’t think of leaving it behind me, 
auntie, ’ ’ he replied. “ How would I get that rab- 
bit for your stew without it ? ” 

“I do not care for wild animal food,” replied 
the lady. “ It is not palatable.” 

“ Now, auntie, if you don’t eat my game I shall 
be awfully disappointed;” said Clifford; “when 
I ’m going hunting just to please you, too.” 

“Don’t worry, auntie,” said Ella. “ He won’t 
hurt anything by shooting at it, and we won’t 
have to ruin our digestion by eating his game.” 


124 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“That is a lib&l, but I scorn to notice it,” said 
Clifford loftily. 

“I know something you folks would like,” said 
Joe, grinning over his coffee cup, “and that is 
eels. They are jolly skinned and fried.” 

Miss Moore nearly fainted at this, and Bertha 
threatened to send her brother from the table if he 
said any more on the subject. 

After breakfast the two boys started down town 
to invite a chum of Joe’s to make one of their 
party. As they walked along, Joe was conscious 
that he did not appear to advantage beside his 
cousin, whom company drill had made as erect as a 
young sapling, and who carried himself with an 
ease and grace which made Joe painfully aware 
that he slouched. Joe envied the Boston boy his 
well-fitting clothes and easy manners, but rather 
resented the latter, as jealousy is apt to do. 

On reaching the village they met Nan Winters 
out on a morning errand, with a basket on her 
arm. Clifford stepped behind Joe as they met on 
the narrow plank walk, and as the boy and girl 
exchanged “Helloes,” after the custom of the 
country, he silently touched his cap. 

“What did you do that for? ” demanded Joe, as 


NAM^S FIEST ENDEAVOR. 


125 


Nan passed out of hearing. “ You don’t know 
her.” 

“No; but you spoke to her,” Clifford replied. 

“What if I did?” retorted Joe. “You had no 
right to.” 

“I didn’t,” said Clifford, laughing. “I only 
touched my cap because she was a young lady of 
your acquaintance. I should n’t have if I had 
met her alone of course.” 

“I suppose it is one of your city airs,” said Joe 
with something like a sneer. 

“What are you so peppery about, Joseph?” 
asked Clifford good-naturedly. “I did n’t do 
anything out of the way.” 

“I ain’t used to city airs,” retorted Joe. 

Clifford’s dark eyes flashed, and a sarcastic, 
“ I ’m not used to country awkwardness,” rose to 
his lips, but he bit back the words, and, after a 
pause, said instead, — 

“ Does your chum own a dog? ” 

Joe was ashamed of himself, and glad enough to 
change the subject, so he launched into a descrip- 
tion of his friend’s canine property, and peace was 
again restored. 

But the incident was not forgotten. And 


126 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


though nothing would have induced Joe to lift 
his hat to woman or girl, he envied Clifford the 
ease with which he did it, and hated himself for 
his ignorance of the custom which gave Clifford 
the right to recognize his young lady friends. 
He supposed the girls liked that sort of thing, 
but he should feel like a fool doing it. 

The girls did like it. Nan thought Clifford’s 
act of courtesy a vast improvement on Joe’s blunt 
“Hello,” and wished all the boys would treat 
the girls that way, instead of singing out that 
brief American salutation whenever they met. 

The boys returned from their trip Saturday 
night, covered with mosquitoes’ bites, tired and 
sore from their tramp in the woods. Clifford 
had tanned to a rich Spanish brown, which was 
not unbecoming, but poor Joe had burned a cop- 
per color, and was covered with freckles. - 

After tea J oe was drawing a pail of water from 
the mossy old well, with the old-fashioned sweep, 
when Harry came out. 

“How do you like Cliff?” said she, leaning her 
arms on the curb and looking down into the little 
mirror framed in by the mossy grotto. 


NAN^S FIRST ENDEAVOR. 


127 


“He ’s an odd one,” replied Joe, balancing tlie 
bucket on the edge; “but he ’s tiptop, I tell 
you.” 

“Is n’t it funny to think he is a Christian ? ” 
said Harry, thoughtfully regarding her own image 
in the still, dark water of the well. 

“He ’s all right,” replied Joe. “There is no 
make-believe about him.” 

“I did n’t suppose there was,” said Harry in- 
dignantly. “ I knew he was n’t a sham.” 

“I did n’t know as it went right through, that 
night at meeting,” said Joe, lowering his voice, 
“but it does. He carries one of those small 
Bibles with soft covers in his pocket, and every 
night he reads in it, and prays.” 

“And you boys make fun of him, I suppose,” 
said Harry indignantly. 

“You bet we don’t! ” retorted Joe, almost up- 
setting the bucket in his WTath. “ Hope we ain’t 
such cads as to kick a fellow for sticking to his 
principles ! ” 

“They always do in Sunday-school books,” 
Harry replied. 

“Fellows in Sunday-school books are muffs,” 
Joe declared. “ Cliff ain’t. He ’s got a temper 


128 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


like a black squall. Thought he was going to 
knock Ned down one day.” 

“Did he say something to make Cliff mad?” 
asked Harry curiously. 

“It was politics,” Joe replied. “Cliff is a 
red-hot Republican, and Ned is a raving, tearing 
Democrat, and they kept it going night and 
morning, and would n’t they get hot I It fairly 
made me sweat to listen to ’em. One day Ned 
got excited and said something real insulting, 
which made Cliff turn on him like a tiger. I 
thought he was going to knock the words down 
his throat, but, instead of hitting him, he turned 
and walked off into the woods as fast as he could 
go, and after that we could n’t get him to talk 
politics because he said it made him mad. What 
of it if it did? Ned deserved a good thrashing, 
for he was real aggravating. ” 

“I suppose,” said Harry thoughtfully, “that 
Cliff thinks it is n’t right to get mad. The Bible 
says, ‘Unto him that smiteth thee on the one 
cheek, offer also the other. ’ ” 

“Cliff did n’t offer Ned the other cheek,” 
replied Joe, “but he walked off out of sight. 
He ’s a queer chap.” 


NAN'S FIBST ENDEAVOR. 


129 


“I should like to know,” said Kezia, appear- 
ing in the doorway, “whether you are going to 
bring that water into the house or not, Joseph 
White.” 

“You ought not to hurry a fellow, Kezia,” re- 
plied Joe. “I ’m so stiff in the joints I can 
hardly move.” 

“ I could draw twenty pails while you are get- 
ting one,” declared Kezia. “If a circus should 
come along your joints would be limber enough.” 

When Harry went into the sitting room, she 
found the young Christian who fought his Apol- 
lyon in the woods, accompanying himself on his 
sister’s banjo, and singing : — 

“Down went McGinty to the bottom of the sea,” 

for the edification of his aunt, who listened with 
an indulgent smile. 


130 BERTHA^ S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


CHAPTER IX. 

HAYING TIME. 

One of the most beautiful of mornings ushered 
in the next day. As Ella sat by her open win- 
dow, drinking in the sweet scents which came in 
on the fresh breeze, it seemed to her as though 
nature knew that it was Sunday, and was keeping 
the new day holy. The tinkle of the distant cow- 
bell had a hushed sound, and the hens scratching 
for their morning meal clucked softly and deco- 
rously to each other. 

“ ‘What so rare as a day in June? ’ ” murmured 
Ella, as she leaned out of her window ; “ and what 
is more beautiful than a perfect June morning 
with the Sabbath stillness resting upon it?” 

Breakfast was later than usual on the first 
morning of the week, and as soon as it was over 
the young people started for Sunday school; all 
except Bertha, who had given up going long 


HAYING TIME. 


131 


ago, because she could not get the work done in 
time. 

“I am glad you live so far from the church,” 
said Ella. “ I would n’t miss the walk for any- 
thing.” 

“You would n’t like it in winter,” replied 
Harry, “for the snowdrifts here like everything.” 

“Pity it is n’t June all the time,” said Clifford, 
“ or some other jolly month.” 

“I should like to travel,” said Harry, “so as to 
keep it summer all the time.” 

“You would get tired of the same climate,” said 
Ella. “ I like the changes, and love autumn best 
of all.” 

“I don’t believe any one could get tired of 
summer,” said Harry, taking a deep breath of 
the sweet air. 

“I would, if a fellow had to hay all the time,” 
growled Joe, thinking of what was before him. 

When they reached the village they found they 
were early, so Harry proposed that she and Ella 
go in after Nan. When they stepped into the 
hall they found the girl they were in search of 
engaged upon a task which caused them to pause 
in astonishment in the doorway. Seated in the 


132 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


middle of the room were two little girls, whose 
feet, cased in stout leather boots, swung help- 
lessly some distance from the floor. Behind them 
stood Nan, brushing and braiding their straight 
yellow locks, and tying them with bright pieces 
of ribbon. She nodded gayly at the girls, and 
asked them to come in. 

“Have you opened a barber’s shop?” asked 
Harry curiously. 

“Five cents a shave,” replied Nan mischiev- 
ously. “ There, Rosy, you are ready. I will give 
you a round comb, Lily, to keep those short hairs 
back.” 

“Who are these young ladies?” asked Ella, 
regarding the little maids, who held their heads 
very straight and stiff, as though the new mode of 
hairdressing prevented their moving them. 

“ Oh, you don’t know that I have taken a class 
in Sunday-school,” replied Nan, brushing Miss 
Lily’s carrot-colored hair. 

“Are you going to leave our class, Nan Win- 
ters?” demanded Harry. 

“I don’t want to, Harry,” replied Nan. “I 
don’t know enough to teach. I am ashamed to 
think how little I know about the Bible when I 


HAYING TIME. 


133 


have been to Sunday school all my life ; but Mr. 
Curtis wanted me to take some little girls, and, as 
there was n’t any one else, I thought I would try. 
These are two of my scholars, Rosy and Lily 
Cates.” 

“I think you are awfully mean to leave our 
class,” pouted Harry. “ What shall I do without 
you?” 

“I dare say I shall come back,” said Nan, “for 
perhaps I won’t be able to teach them.” 

“Is this the first process?” asked Ella, much 
amused. 

“ Lily and Rosy did n’t have any hair ribbons 
or round combs,” said Nan, giving the finishing 
touches to the two heads, “and I told them if 
they would come early that I would give them 
some. There is the bell. I will be ready in a 
minute. 

They all started to the church together. Nan 
leading the way with a little Cates on either 
side. 

“Miss Preston,” said she, when they reached 
the church door, “you ought to have the children. 
You would make a better teacher than I.” 

“I think not. You have already made a better 


134 BERTHA* 8 SUMMER BOARDERS. 

beginning than I should,” said Ella, wondering 
what would have induced her to have touched the 
heads of Rosy and Lily Cates. 

“ How that girl is growing ! ’ ’ she thought to 
herself, as she watched Nan surrounded by her 
little ones. 

The next morning Mr. White began to cut his 
grass, to his son Joe’s great disgust. He would 
rather go cruising in the woods with Clifford than 
spend the long summer days in the hayfield. He 
imagined Clifford would look down on a fellow 
who had to spend his vacation haying, and would 
leave him to join some of his city friends who 
did n’t have to work ; but instead, Clifford pulled 
off his coat, and asked Mr. White to take him 
for a field hand. 

The farmer smiled, and told him he had all the 
hands he needed, but that he might amuse himself 
there if he wanted to; so Clifford mounted the 
mowing machine and drove Bob White up and 
down the field as steadily as could be desired. 
Once in a while his spirits ran away with him ; 
but his tricks were always taken in good part, for 
Clifford was a boy that made himself a favorite 
everywhere. 


HAYING TIME. 


135 


Even Kezia was won by the black-eyed boy, and 
would put him up a lunch to go fishing whenever 
he wanted one, and let him litter up her kitchen 
with his whittling without making a single com- 
plaint. 

But she did not escape the boy’s tricks. 

One rainy day he and Joe spent the afternoon 
manufacturing a dummy out of a broomstick, 
which they adorned with portions of their own 
wardrobes. 

After dark Kezia heard a double knock at the 
kitchen door, and, on opening it, discovered a 
singular-looking gentleman, with his hat drawn 
down onto his head, waiting on the step. Re- 
ceiving no answer to her inquiries from the 
stranger, she brought the lamp to bear upon him, 
and discovered the trick. 

“ It ’s the work of those good-for-nothing boys, ’ ’ 
said she, raising her voice ; for she had detected a 
stifled giggle in the direction of the well-curb. 
“If I could get hold of ’em they ’d ketch it. 
It ’s no more fresh doughnuts they ’ll get out of 
me.” 

And yet this consistent woman baked a lemon 
pie for those same good-for-nothing boys the very 
next day. 


136 BERTHA^ S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

They lived out-of-doors, and one afternoon 
Harry and the boys coaxed Bertha and Ella to 
ride on the hay, and a merry load drove into the 
barn behind Bob White. Bertha felt as though 
she had grown young again, and Miss Moore w^as 
dreadfully shocked as she saw her niece go off in 
the empty hay cart, with her sailor hat on the back 
of her head, and hayseed sticking to her dress and 
hair, looking more like a girl of sixteen than a 
young lady of twenty-five. 

Even Kezia was coaxed into taking a ride in the 
hay cart. One afternoon she put on her sun- 
bonnet to go out and get some of the strawberries 
which were so plenty in the swaths of grass, just 
as Joe and Clifford drove out of the barn with 
the empty hayrick. They coaxed her to get in 
and drive out with them, and, making an opening 
in the cart behind, helped her to mount. 

“Now, mind you don’t upset me,” said Kezia 
doubtfully, as Clifford braced himself on his sturdy 
young legs and took up the reins. 

“No; I T1 drive as slow as a funeral proces- 
sion,” he promised, as Joe jumped up behind. 
“You ’ll never have a better ride in your life, 
Kezia.” 



Haying-time 











HAYING TIME, 


137 


“I used to ride on the hay when I was a gal,” 
she replied, “ but I ’m getting too old for such 
things now.” 

“Nonsense, Kezia! you are not old,” said Clif- 
ford gallantly. “You are young enough to come 
back on the top of the load that Joe and I are 
going to haul in.” 

“Get out with your nonsense ! ” retorted Kezia. 
“You know I ’m a homely old woman; but I ain’t 
ashamed to own it, like some folks I know.” 

“Well,” said Mr. White, as they drove up 
with their passenger, “whom are you going to 
bring out next? ” 

“Auntie Moore has engaged a passage on the 
next train,” replied Clifford, “so you had better 
get ready to receive her.” 

In the long June twilights they gathered on 
the steps, or under the apple trees, where Clifford 
usually entertained them by singing comic songs, 
accompanied by his sister’s banjo. 

“I ’m glad there are no near neighbors,” said 
Ella one night, “for I don’t know what they 
would think of us.” 

Clifford had been entertaining them with speci- 
mens of the college yells which waken the echoes 
of old Boston. 


138 BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“This is Harvard,” said he, illustrating m a 
way which caused Miss Moore to cover up her 
ears. 

“What do they have a yell for? ” asked Harry. 
“I don’t see the sense of it.” 

“ Why, it is the most important thing of 
all,” Clifford replied. “As soon as a college 
is founded the dignitaries meet to decide on a 
yell.” 

“Clifford Preston! ” exclaimed his sister, “you 
ought to be ashamed to tell such stories. For- 
tunately your auditors have too much sense to 
believe them.” 

“Now, what have I done?” asked Clifford in 
an injured tone. “I ’m sure the yell is the first 
thing you hear from a college. ’ ’ 

Harry and Joe were imitating Clifford’s per- 
formance with such success that Bertha echoed 
Ella’s remark, that it was well there were no near 
neighbors. 

And yet this boy had led the Endeavor meet- 
ing the evening before, and his straightforward 
earnestness inspired the deepest respect among 
the young people. 

The society continued to be a success, and, 


HAYING TIME. 


139 


though they had no addition to their numbers, 
the meetings were well attended and interesting. 

“ I look forward to Monday evening with pleas- 
• ure,” said Bertha to Ella one day. 

“ You can’t say now that you are sorry I started 
the society,” Ella replied. 

“No, indeed,” said she earnestly. “This sum- 
mer has been the happiest of my life. I feel five 
years younger since you came. I believe I was 
growing old before my time.” 

“You surely were,” replied Ella. “I wish 
you could go back with me for a visit.” 

“Impossible,” said Bertha with a smile. 
“What would become of father and the chil- 
dren?” 

“Leave them to Kezia’s care.” 

“We can’t afford to keep Kezia after you 
go,” said Bertha frankly. “We shall settle 
down to our old humdrum life again then.” 

Ella sighed. Her cousin’s lot seemed very 
hard and narrow to her, and she wished there 
was some way by which she could brighten it for 
her. 

One day Nan came out to the Whites’ and 
begged Harry to go with her while she paid a 


140 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


visit to Lily Cates, who had cut her foot while 
playing with her father’s ax. It was a cloudy 
day, and as Bob White was not in the hay field 
they harnessed him to the wagon and jogged off. • 
The house where the Cates lived was situated 
in a field some little distance from the village. 
The girls fastened Bob White to the fence, and 
walked up the lane leading to the bare, unpainted 
building. The door was open into the kitchen, 
and, warm summer day as it was, there was a fire 
in the cook stove, over which an old woman sat 
smoking the black stump of a clay pipe. As they 
paused in the doorway, gasping for breath in the 
foul air, the old woman rose, and with the pipe 
still in her mouth asked them in. 

On inquiring for Lily, she showed them into an 
inner room, where, on a rude bed, covered with a 
ragged, dirty patchwork quilt, the poor little 
girl lay, hot and feverish. 

She was' glad to see her teacher, but the girls 
did not enjoy their call very much, for the old 
woman’s pipe made them sick, as she sat by the 
bed answering their questions about the accident; 
and, not seeing anything they could do for the 
child, they talked with her a little while, show- 


HAYING TIME. 


141 


ing her the gay paper dolls Nan had made, then 
bade her good-by, and went out. 

“Oh! ” said Harry as they drew in the sweet, 
pure air once more, never knew how nice it 
was to breathe before! ” 

“Think of living there! ’’ added Nan. “I ’m 
afraid Lily will die.” 

Their faces were very sober as they thought of 
the scene they had just left; but on reaching the 
end of the lane their thoughts were turned into 
a new channel by finding Bob White with his 
nose pointed towards home, and Joe and Clifford 
on the wagon seat. 

“Where did you come from?” Harry de- 
manded. 

“Glad to find you are in command,” replied 
Joe. “I thought old Daddy Cates had stolen 
Bob White.” 

“Whom have you been calling on, girls?” 
asked Clifford, jumping out of the wagon. 

“Some of Nan’s little kids live here,” said 
Joe. “Nan looks like the old woman in the shoe 
Sunday mornings. ” 

“You would n’t walk a mile to ga to Sunday 
school, as those children do,” retorted Nan. “I 
don’t wonder they wear out so many shoes.” 


142 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

“I wQuld if I could be in your class,” declared 
Joe. “Try me and see.” 

“I would n’t have you for anything,” Nan 
replied. “You boys act horrid in Sunday 
school.” 

“We are lambs compared to you girls,” Joe 
retorted. “You and Harry used to keep the 
whole class in a titter.” 

“ You had better get out of the wagon,” ordered 
Harry. “There is n’t room for you to ride 
home.” 

“We ’ll jump in behind,” said Clifford. “We 
want to get home in time to clean our fish before 
supper. ’ ’ 

“ Those mean little chubs are not worth carry- 
ing home,” said Harry, disdainfully regarding 
their spoils. 

“ Kezia has promised to cook everything I catch, 
from an eel to a whale,” he replied; “but I won’t 
go shares if you make fun of my fish.” 

“ I believe if you shot a porcupine you would 
want it cooked,” Harry declared. 

“No, I ’d have it stuffed,” he replied, “and 
hung on the wall for an ornament.” 

“Whom did you see at Daddy Cates’?” asked 


HAYING TIME. 


143 


Joe, as he and Clifford sat in the back of the 
wagon with their legs hanging out behind. “ If 
you give all your girls messes when they are sick, 
they won’t any of ’em be well enough to go to 
Sunday school.” 

“I guess you would be sick if you lived the way 
Lily does, ” said Nan indignantly; and she and 
Harry gave an eloquent description of what they 
had seen that afternoon. 

Of course the boys did not express any sym- 
pathy, for it is not boy nature to show their feel- 
ings when touched ; but when Clifford helped Nan 
out of the wagon at her own gate, he slipped some 
silver pieces into her hand, and said, hurriedly : — 

“Get some oranges and bananas for the little 
girl; she may like them,” and hastily touching 
his cap he jumped back into the wagon, leaving 
Nan to say privately, “ That Clifford Preston is 
a nice boy.” 


144 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


CHAPTER X. 

CAMPING OUT. 

The weather was so fine that Mr. White got 
through haying unusually early, and when the 
last load was put into the barn the boys proposed 
that they all go camping out for a week. 

Harry was wild at the idea ; Ella readily con - 
sented; but Bertha hung back. 

“I never camped out in my life,” said she one 
afternoon when the question was being discussed. 

“There has to be a first time to everything,” said 
Ella gayly, “and if you have never camped out 
there is all the more reason you should now.” 

“Your education has been sadly neglected if 
you have never camped out,” said Clifford gravely. 
“ It is a duty you owe your family to go, for you 
should always make the most of your opportuni- 
ties.” 

“ But what will become of the house ? ” objected 
Bertha. 


CAMPING OUT. 


145 


“It won’t run away,” Clifford declared. “I ’ll 
guarantee to have it here when you come back.” 

“But the people in it,” said Bertha, “who will 
look after them ? ” . 

“There won’t be many left,” laughed Ella. 
“I'm sure Auntie Moore and Kezia can take 
care of each other.” 

“You have too high an opinion of your own 
importance, Bertha, ’ ’ said Clifford gravely. “ I’m 
sure you can be spared, and that Auntie Moore 
will be glad to get rid of you, won’t you, 
auntie ? ’ ’ 

“I do not approve of camping-out parties,” 
said Miss Moore with dignity, “ though of course 
I have nothing to say about Bertha. I think it is 
very imprudent for Ella to think of such a thing. 
What would the doctor say if he knew? ” 

“That it was the best thing I could do,” said 
Ella promptly. “ It would be just what he would 
prescribe for Bertha if he could see her pale 
cheeks.” 

“I ’m quite sure that I can’t go,” said Bertha 
soberly, “ for some one must stay at home and look 
out for things.” 

“Harry can do that,” said Clifford mischiev- 


146 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

ously. “ She would love to stay at home and keep 
house.” 

“It is useless to joke,” said Bertha with a 
slight sigh. “ I can’t go, so please say no more 
about it.” 

“I should like to know, Bertha White,” cried 
Kezia, turning round from the window where she 
sat knitting, “if you think I ain’t capable of tak- 
ing care of this family for a week? If I ain’t, 
I had better pack up and go home.” 

“Of course you could manage beautifully, 
Kezia,” said Ella. “None of us doubt that. You 
would be glad to get rid of us for a week, I 
know.” 

“And could bake up a lot of goodies against 
our return,” said Clifford with a saucy wink. 

“Of course I don’t doubt your capability, 
Kezia,” said Bertha apologetically, “but I don’t 
think I ought to leave when I am housekeeper. ’ ’ 

“I should think I never kept house,” sniffed 
Kezia, “instead of being at it before you was 
born. ’ ’ 

“That’s it, Kezia!” cried Clifford. “Stand 
up for your rights. Let ’s put her out and take 
command of the ship; ” and seizing Bertha, chair 


CAMPING OUT. 


14T 


and all , he tried to carry her out of the room, until 
she screamed for mercy, so that he was glad to 
drop her. 

“Look here!” said Joe, pulling off his straw 
hat as he came into the room. “Who is going? 
That ’s what I want to find out.” 

“We all are,” Ella replied. “Kezia is going 
to drive Bertha out of her own house.” 

“Nan must go,” said Harry, “for I don’t want 
to be the only girl.” 

“ What ! ” cried Ella, facing round on her. 

“Only young girl, I mean,” corrected Harry 
mischievously. 

“Do you see, Bertha,” said Ella gravely, “that 
we are considered old girls ? ” 

“Old maids,” Clifford explained. 

“I ’m used to that,” said Bertha with a sigh. 
“I have been called old ever since I was young.” 

“The tent won’t hold five hundred,” said Joe. 
“ Where do you think we are going to stow forty 
girls ? ” 

“We must have two tents,” Harry declared; 
“one on purpose for us.” 

“I asked Ned to come along,” Joe made answer, 
“and perhaps he will let us have his tent.” 


148 


BEBTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“I suppose he does n’t count in the five hun- 
dred,” said Harry. “ Might have known that you 
could n’t get along without Ned.” 

“That red-hot free-trade Democrat is going, is 
he ? ” said Clifford, wrinkling his brows. 

“He must take his tent,” said Ella, “and leave 
his politics at home.” 

“He makes seven,” said Harry, counting on her 
fingers. “We ought to ask one more, so as to 
make an even number.” 

“Invite John Murry, to keep the old maids 
company,” suggested Clifford. 

“Clifford Preston!” cried his sister. “If I 
was n’t too lazy I ’d box your ears.” 

“You like little John,” retorted Clifford, “and 
would like to have him, you know. I ’ll keep 
mum and not mention his name in the letters I 
write to report your conduct.” 

“I think it would be very nice to have Mr. 
Murry,” said Ella serenely. “Suppose you ask 
him, Joe.” 

“ A fellow don’t like to have his dominie when 
he ’s going off on a cruise,” objected Joe. 

“ Mr. Murry will forget his scholastic duties up 
in the woods,” said Ella, “and be as nice as any 
boy.” 


CAMPING OUT. 


149 


“It is time to make the kitchen fire, Joe,” 
said Bertha, glancing at the clock. “ Please hurry, 
for we have got to make biscuits.” 

“I can^t go near any of the women folks with- 
out being ordered to go to work,” grumbled Joe. 
“They have n’t any mercy on a fellow.” 

“You ’ll have to chop some kindlings,” replied 
Bertha serenely, “so hurry; ” and with a groan Joe 
departed for the woodshed. 

One bright morning, a few days after, a large 
truck wagon, loaded with all sort of things, stood 
at Mr. White’s door. A long rowboat was se- 
curely lashed on, and under and around it were 
quilts, blankets, cooking utensils, baskets, and a 
small oil stove. A double-seated wagon stood be- 
side it, in which were the tents in canvas bags, 
more baskets, tin pails, a coffeepot, and a frying- 
pan. 

At seven o’clock John Murry made his appear- 
ance with his gun over his shoulder, a huge bas- 
ket in his hand; and a little later Ned and Nan 
trudged up the lane, the latter in scarlet and gray 
boating suit and broad-brimmed hat. 

The girls were all dressed in rough-and-ready 


150 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


costumes able to stand the wear and tear of camp- 
ing-out life. Ella had on a yachting suit of blue 
and white, with blouse waist, sash, and sailor hat. 
Bertha, who had no dress suitable for such an 
excursion, had, with Ella’s help, gotten up a com- 
bination suit, consisting of a blue flannel skirt, 
gay red waist, and little blue^ and white cap of 
her cousin’s, which costume changed her to such 
a degree that John Murry looked at her in sur- 
prise. Harry reveled in a partly outgrown sailor 
suit which only reached to the tops of her boots 
and left her free in a way that rejoiced her heart. 

The whole family gathered at the front of the 
house to see them start. Even Kezia left her 
work, and Miss Moore rose earlier than usual to 
witness the departure. 

Mr. White was to drive the girls in the wagon 
to the shore of the lake, from whence he would 
bring the teams back ; and the boys and Mr. Murry 
were to ride on the truck wagon. They were all 
ready at last, waiting for Clifford, who had gone 
into the house for something. 

At last he came out, and, throwing himself on 
his knees before Miss Moore, said imploringly, 
“Give me your blessing, auntie, before I go.” 


CAMPING OUT. 


151 


“Come, Cliff,” called Joe, “we have n’t time 
for any of your monkey shines.” 

“Remember I am the staff of the family,” said 
Clifford, wiping his eyes, “ and am only a frail and 
broken reed.” 

“ It is a foolhardy undertaking to camp out in 
the woods,” said Miss Moore, “and if I were your 
mother I would not let you go.” 

“ Don’t lie awake worrying about us,” said 
Clifford. “I ’ll take care of Ella, and bring 
you home a live porcupine for a pet. Good-by, 
auntie,” and throwing both arms about her in a 
suffocating embrace, he then leaped into the truck 
wagon, and the merry party rattled down the lane, 
waving their hats and handkerchiefs. 

The drive to the lake was for the most of the 
way through the woods, but once in a while they 
would come out into a cleared tract of land, whence 
they obtained a fine view of the surrounding coun- 
try. Women living in the scattered farmhouses 
rushed to the windows to see them go by, and the 
men in the hayfield leaned on their rakes and 
watched them with cheerful interest. 

It was past eleven when they reached their first 
stopping-place, on the shore of a large lake, around 


152 


BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


which was a little settlement, consisting of a 
few houses and a sawmill, now busily humming. 
They drove their teams over a rustic bridge to 
where their progress was stopped by a pair of bars 
leading into a field. 

It was a lovely spot. On one side the blue 
waters of the lake, shut in by wooded shores, 
rippled in the sunshine; on the other, the little 
stream, which flowed noisily under the bridge and 
turned the wheel of the sawmill, wound in and 
out among the green banks as far as the eye could 
reach. On a knoll above the stream was a beau- 
tiful hard-wood grove, carpeted with green moss 
and scarlet bunchberries, which the girls fell to 
picking as soon as they were out of the wagon. 

“We had better have dinner here, I think,” said 
Bertha. “Father will want something to eat 
before he starts for home.” 

They all agreed, and while John and Mr. White 
attended to the horses, the girls spread the table- 
cloth up in the grove. When dinner was ready 
a loud toot of the horn they had brought called 
them all together, and they had a merry meal out 
under the trees. 

After dinner the boys took the boat off the 


CAMPING OUT. 


153 


wagon, and launched it in the stream. While 
they were loading it with their housekeeping 
utensils the mill stopped humming, and a man 
and his two sons walked slowly down to the 
shore. 

“ The twelve o’clock whistle has blown,” said 
Clifford. “ All hands knock off work. No strikes 
for ten hours’ work in this mill.” 

“Going blueberrying, Mr. White?” asked the 
mill man, watching the boys, with his hands in 
his pockets. 

“I ’m not,” replied Mr. White, “but these 
young folks are starting off on a cruise.” 

“You ’ll find ’em pretty thick on the heath,” 
observed the mill man. 

“But you can’t get nothing for ’em,” added his 
son; “only ten cents a quart in money.” 

“ Think it will pay us? ” asked Clifford gravely. 

“ Dunno. There ’s a good many to share the 
profits,” and he ran his eye in a calculating man- 
ner over the group. 

“I think there will be blueberries enough for 
us all,” said John Murry. “Look out for that 
bundle, Joe; it will go overboard.” 

The mill man and his sons watched with deep 


154 BERTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS, 

interest as the party stowed themselves into the 
heavily laden boat. 

“ If we run aground we ’ll have to throw out 
the cargo,” said Clifford as he pushed off the 
boat and then jumped into the bow. They floated 
off, gayly waving their hats and handkerchiefs to 
those left on the shore. Ned, who had navigated 
the stream before, held the rudder, while John 
and Joe, with Harry and Nan, pulled at the oars. 
Bertha and Ella nestled under their sunshades, 
while Clifford, in the bow, warbled a sentimen- 
tal serenade, assuring them that he was “ only a 
pansy blossom,” until the girls requested John to 
quietly put him overboard. 

The stream made ‘a winding course up among 
the woods, and once in a while they ran into a 
tangled mass of lily leaves ; and, in reaching after 
the snow-white flowers, Clifford would have taken 
a header into the deep, if Joe had not clutched 
him in the rear. 

At last they ran the boat up onto a sandy 
shore, and, disembarking, found themselves in an 
open clearing, surrounded by a grand old forest. 

“Half-past two,” said John, looking at his 
watch. “We shall have to work lively to get 
things ready before supper time.” 


CAMPING OUT. 


155 


“Hope you don’t expect me to work without 
something to eat I” exclaimed Cliftord. “I ’m 
utterly exhausted, and nothing will revive me 
but one of Kezia’s cheese cakes.” 

“Don’t let him have one!” cried Nan. “We 
must make the boys understand that they must 
not eat all the time.” 

“If that is n’t cruel, after the way I ’ve worked 
for you to-day,” said Clifford in an aggrieved 
tone. 

“You did n’t row half of the way, and can’t 
show a blister like that,” said Harry, proudly 
showing the palm of her hand. 

“ Girls can’t row half a mile without raising a 
blister,” he retorted. “But I must have a cheese 
cake to restore famished nature.” 

“ Don’t let him have one, Harry ! ” screamed 
Nan, as Clifford made a raid on the basket. 

Harry seized it and ran into the woods, with 
Clifford in hot pursuit. In the chase which 
followed Clifford was successful, and returned 
munching a cheese cake, while Harry came back 
pouting and scolding. 

“ I wish you would set him to work, Mr. Murry,” 
said she, “so as to keep him out of mischief.” 


156 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS 

“Take the hatchet and clear away the under- 
brush,” said John; “that will keep you busy for a 
while.” 

Clifford sat on a stump and finished his cake, 
then went to work with the others, while Hany 
and Nan counted the remaining cakes and hid the 
basket. 

They soon had the tents up; and, while the girls 
were arranging them, the boys, under John’s 
direction, constructed a table. The girls’ tent 
was called the drawing-room, and looked very 
pretty when everything was arranged, and they 
finished decorating it with ferns, bunchberries, 
and flowers. The other tent was the kitchen, 
where all the cooking utensils were kept and 
most of the food. 

After supper they built a bonfire, and, rolling 
up a mossy log, which they covered with the girls’ 
shawls to serve for a sofa, they all gathered 
around it and sang songs, for Ella had brought her 
banjo, and Clifford and John entertained them 
with college stories. 

At nine o’clock Clifford took out his pocket 
Bible, and read by the light of the Are : — 

“ ‘ The heavens declare the glory of God; and 
the firmament sheweth his handywork.’ ” 


CAMPING OUT. 


157 


The red glow of the fire lit up the dim woods, 
and flickered over Clifford’s earnest, handsome 
face as he read. No other sound broke the still- 
ness but the ripple of the waters on the sandy 
beach. Mr. Murry followed the reading with a 
short, earnest -prayer ; then they sang their favorite 
Endeavor hymn, and carefully putting out the 
fire they bade each other good night, and left the 
wonderful night to itself. 


158 


BEET HA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


CHAPTER XL 

CLIFFOKD MEETS APOLLYON. 

It was impossible for the girls to go quietly to 
sleep in their strange quarters, and long after the 
noise had subsided in the adjoining tent Harry 
lay staring up at the white canvas roof, over 
which the moon caused the shadows of the trees to 
flicker, listening to the lapping of the water and 
the sighing of the wind in the branches, which 
sounded so much like the falling of water that she 
would have thought it was raining, had not the 
white moonbeams convinced her of the contrary. 

How could the other girls be so quiet ? she won- 
dered. They lay so still she did not like to dis- 
turb them ; but it was so hot she could not keep 
still, so at last she rolled over on the other 
side. 

“Are you awake, Harry?” whispered Nan. 

“Awake? I should think so,” groaned Harry, 


■CLIFFORD MEETS APOLLYON. 


159 


half sitting up. “I never sleep the first night 
in a strange place.” 

“Neither can I,” said Nan, sitting up in her 
turn. “ The moonlight makes me owly. Let us 
go out-doors.” 

“You must not think of such a thing, girls! ” 
ordered Bertha. 

“ Thought you were asleep,” said Harry in 
surprise. 

“Did you expect me to sleep on this expe- 
dition ? ” asked Bertha in a resigned tone. “ I 
didn’t expect to.” 

“Let us make believe it is morning, and get 
up,” said Harry, thrashing round among the 
quilts. 

“Hush!” ordered Bertha. “You will wake 
Ella.” 

“No danger of that,” replied a muffled voice. 
“ I have been counting black sheep going over a 
wall till I have got up to two thousand.” 

“I ’ll put you all to sleep,” proposed Harry. 

“ Hush, my dear, lie still and slumber.” 


“ Let me alone ! ” cried Nan, as her friend began 


160 


BERTH A->S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


to rock her back and forth as though she was in 
a cradle. 

“ Do behave, Harry ! ’ ’ ordered her sister. 

“I can’t behave,” moaned Harry. “I am camp- 
ing out, and have 'got to act.” 

“Let us tie her,” cried Nan, starting up in her 
turn. 

Another commotion ensued, and a full lialf-hour 
passed before quiet reigned in the girls’ tent. 
None of them slept much, and all welcomed the 
sun as it shone in a zig-zag line across the 
wall. 

The first thing the}^ heard from the adjoining 
tent was a shout, followed by a voice singing : — 

We ’ll sink a free-trade Democrat 
To the bottom of the lake. 

“Come on, boys! let ’s put him in, and wash 
some of the Democracy out of him.” 

“I won’t sink, boys,” came in Ned’s voice. 
“I ’ll float, like the Democratic party, on the crest 
of the wave.” 

“You ’ll come to the surface, I suppose, — trash 
always does.” 

“ That ’s how the Republican party came to float 


CLIFFORD MEETS APOLLYON. 


161 


into the White House. Never understood it be- 
fore.” 

The voices died away in the distance as the 
boys went to take a morning dip in the lake. 

The girls were soon stirring, and Nan and 
Harry pulled Bertha onto her feet with little 
ceremony. 

“You have no respect for my years, girls,” said 
she. “I thought I would see how it felt to lie 
abed late.” 

“You must make the coffee,” said Harry. 
“We can’t let the chief cook stay in bed.” 

When they went out only John was visible, sit- 
ting before the fire he had rekindled; but the 
others soon made their appearance. 

“We made a fire so that you could heat your 
curler, girls,” said Clifford. 

“You are very kind,” replied Harry, “but who 
do you suppose brought a curler up into the 
woods? ” 

“ Bet a cent Sis did, ’ ’ he replied. “ She and her 
curler are never separated.” 

“ Do you suppose she would curl her hair for 
the benefit of the trees?” Harry demanded. 

“We are not trees,” retorted Clifford, “and are 


162 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


as well worth curling your hair for here as down 
town.” 

“ I never considered you worth curling my hair 
for,” said Miss Harry airily. 

“ Here ’s a quencher! ” cried Clifford. “I feel 
as though I had been nipped with the frost,” and 
he turned his coat collar up around his ears, and 
put another stick on the fire. 

The girls had gone to work getting breakfast, 
and now Bertha came down to the fire with the 
coffeepot. 

“ How shall we cook it ? ” said she. “ I don’t 
know how you manage things in the woods.” 

“ I ’ll make a crane before dinner,” replied John. 
“You’ll have to put the coffeepot down here,” 
and he hollowed out a place in the ashes. 

“ Do you suppose it is all right ? ” asked Bertha 
anxiously. “ Do you always cook it that way ? ” 

“We don’t always boast of a coffeepot,” replied 
John. “We usually cook our coffee in a tin pail 
hung over a crane. We are camping out in style 
now.” 

“ I should n’t want any less style,” Bertha de- 
clared. “ I will leave you to cook the coffee, for 
you know more about it than I do,” and she went 
back to the tent. 


CLIFFORD MEETS APOLLTON. 


163 


Breakfast was soon ready, and they were just 
sitting down when Ella called for the coffee. 

“I forgot it was left in my care,” said John, 
with a guilty feeling. 

Nan went to get it, and presently they heard a 
scream, and, going down to the fire, they found 
Nan wringing her hands, and looking in dismay 
at the coffeepot, which was over on its side in the 
ashes, while a brown fluid trickled into the Are. 

“ The handle had melted, and came off in my 
hand,” Nan explained. 

“What shall we do without a handle?” asked 
Bertha in dismay. “ The coffee is all running 
out.” 

“ Catch it up by the nose,” cried Joe, poking it 
out of the Are with a stick. 

John valiantly seized it by the nose as directed, 
and ran with it to the table, whither the others 
followed, laughing. 

“ Dear me ! ” said Bertha, regarding the black- 
ened and ruined utensil, “ who would ever know 
that that was once a respectable member of 
society ? ” 

“ Never mind,” said Ella gay ly, “your boarders 
are not particular, Bertha.” 


164 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ But how shall we pour it out ? ” she asked. 

“ Hold the cup, and I ’ll tip it up,” said John, 
carefully inclining it at the right angle. 

This made the meal all the merrier, and when 
it was over John made a crane, which so delighted 
Bertha that they could hardly get her to leave it 
to join the fishing party. 

The fishing ground was farther up stream, and 
Ned navigated the boat up the narrow channel 
through the tangle of lily leaves. 

“ How far does this stream go?” asked Nan. 

“ Until it reaches its head,” John replied. 

“ Where is its head ? ” 

“You have asked more than I can answer,” he 
replied. “ Can you tell, boys ? ” 

“ It rises in Rocky Lake,” replied Joe ; “ but 
you can’t go much farther in a boat on account 
of the rapids. The Indians used to shoot ’em in 
their canoes. Must have been fun.” 

“ I wish you would n’t manage to spatter me 
with every stroke you take. Cliff,” complained his 
sister. 

“ He ’s running up Salt River pretty fast,” said 
Ned. “ That ’s where he went in ninety-two.” 

“You have been there more times than I have,” 


CLIFFORD MEETS APOLLYON. 


165 


retorted Clifford. “ You mu3t be quite used to 
the country up there.” 

“ Mr. Murry,” pleaded Ella, “ won’t yon make 
those little boys stop quarreling over politics.” 

“ I ’ve done my best,” replied John. “ They 
woke me this morning throwing pillows at each 
other. Their arguments don’t hit any harder, so 
no harm is done.” 

“ Here we are ! ” announced Joe. Shipping their 
oars, they began to get hooks and lines ready, and, 
dropping them into the deep, still water, they were 
soon excitedly bringing in their fish. 

They had a famous dinner, and afterwards the 
girls took their novels and refused to be disturbed ; 
but after supper, when the moon rose, turning the 
water of the stream to glittering silver, they were 
all ready for a row. 

“ Which way shall we go ? ” asked skipper Ned, 
taking his place in the stern. 

“Down stream,” said Harry. “We went up 
this morning.” 

“Down it is. Give way, my boys!” shouted 
Clifford, giving the boat a push, and jumping 
aboard. 

“ I ’m going to row,” declared Harry, taking up 


an oar. 


166 


BERTHA'^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“All right,” replied Clifford. “I 11 be figure- 
head, and keep a lookout.” 

They glided smoothly down stream, the splash of 
the oars keeping time with the banjo strings which 
Ella was twanging. 

“ Sing something appropriate to the time and 
place,” said Bertha. 

“ ‘ Only a pansy blossom,’ ” began Clifford in a 
sentimental tone. 

“ Do put him overboard, somebody ! ” ordered Ella, 
“ before he goes any further.” 

“ He needs reviving if he ’s only a faded flower,” 
said Harry, with a sudden splash of her oar, which 
sprinkled Clifford well. 

“ ‘ Into each life some rain must fall,’ ” said he, 
shaking himself, “ so I won’t complain. ‘ I have a 
silent sorrow here,’ ” he went on, until Joe made a 
spring on him, which caused Bertha to cry out : — 

“ O boys ! be careful. You will upset the boat.” 

“ Boys, behave ! ” said John in a voice that his 
scholars were well acquainted with. , 

“Now that peace is restored,” said Ella, “and 
my bad brother utterly quenched, I will sing some- 
thing worth listening to.” 

As she struck the strings, and played a gay ac- 


CLIFFORD MEETS A POLLY ON. 


167 


companiment, they joined in, and sang everything 
they knew, — college glees, negro melodies, old war- 
songs, and hymns, as they floated down stream, 
until, at last, they came to the bridge and mill 
where they had left Mr. White the day before. 

“ I had no idea we had come so far ! ” exclaimed 
Ella, as the open lake lay gleaming under the 
moonlight on the other side of the road. 

“It must be very late,” said Bertha. “What 
time is it?” 

“Never mind,” laughed John; “it will do no 
good to look at our watches.” 

“What shall we do, now that we are here?” 
asked Harry. 

“Row back again, I suppose,” replied John. 

“ Oh, we must do something first,” she declared. 
“ Let us land, anyway.” 

“ And serenade our friends of the mill,” pro- 
posed Clifford. 

“ Oh, what fun I ” cried Harry, springing up. 
“ Let us do it.” 

“ Sit down, before you fall overboard,” ordered 
Bertha in alarm. 

“ ‘ For you would get very wet,’ ” hummed Clif- 
ford. “ Now, who is in favor of the serenade ? ” 


168 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Ned had steered the boat to where they had em- 
barked the day before, and Clifford jumped ashore 
and steadied it by the bow. Nan, Harry, Ned, and 
Joe soon followed him; but the others stepped 
ashore more slowly. 

“ Don’t do anything impudent,” said Ella, yield- 
ing her banjo at her brother’s coaxing. 

“ All right ; come on,” cried Clifford, gleefully 
leading the way. 

Nan, Harry, and the other two boys followed, 
but the rest lingered behind. They went through 
a field, in order to reach a window where a light 
was shining. 

“ Oh, see ! ” cried Harry, choking down a laugh. 
“We almost walked into a hornets’ nest.” 

“ Courting, as sure as I hail from Boston,” 
said Clifford, stopping short. 

“Fellow and his girl saying good night,” said 
Joe with a grin. 

“We must n’t disturb them,” whispered Nan. 
“ Let us go before they see us.” 

“ Let us get into the shadow of the house and 
sing a song,” said Clifford. “ They can’t see 
us there.” 

They started across the field ; but before they 


CLIFFORD MEETS APOLLYON. 


169 


reached the shadow the young man leaning over 
the gate came forward and accosted them. 

“ What do you want here ? ” he roughly de- 
manded. “You had better clear out.’’ 

“ Look here ! ” said Clifford, who was in advance 
of the others, “ do you know whom you are talking 
to?” 

“ I know some swells came up here yesterday,” 
he replied, “ and I suppose you are one of ’em.” 

“ What if I am ? ” asked Clifford coolly. “ Have 
n’t we a right here ? ” 

“ No, by George, you ain’t ! ” cried the other. 
“ Calling yerself a gentleman, and then prowling 
round folks’ trees after their apples.” 

“ Do you think we are after your apples ? ” cried 
Clifford, his hot temper rising at this insult. 

“You need n’t pretend to he so innocent,” 
sneered the other, “ for I saw you sneak up from 
the boat, and watched you prowl round the house. 
You are none too good to help yourself off of 
other people’s apple trees, nor to lie about it 
either.” 

“ Take that for your impudence ! ” To the 
rustic’s astonishment, a light, swift blow came 
from the slender young stripling before him, and 


170 


BEETHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


to his great surprise he found himself sprawling 
on the ground. 

“You young rascal ! ” he cried, springing to his 
feet. “ I ’ll make you pay for this.” 

Clifford’s dark eyes gleamed, and his teeth 
locked ; but as the other made a spring at him, he 
stepped one side, thus causing his enemy to lose 
his balance, and sprawl on the ground for the sec- 
ond time. 

The shout of laughter from the group of boys 
and girls looking on did not improve his temper, 
and, springing to his feet, he turned on Clifford, 
red with fury. 

“Look here,” said the boy earnestly, “I don’t 
want to fight. I ’m sorry I knocked you down, 
but we were not going to touch your apples.” 

This speech astonished the rustic* more than the 
blow had, and he stood staring at Clifford with 
his mouth wide open. 

“ Fight him. Cliff,” said Ned. “ We ’ll back 
you up.” 

“Yes, pitch into him. Cliff,” cried Joe excitedly. 
“We ’ll help you give it to him.” 

“ Oh, don’t. Cliff!” the girls begged. “ Do come 
away, boys.” 


CLIFFORD MEETS APOLLYON. 


171 


“ I won’t fight,” said Clifford, looking the as- 
tonished rustic squarely in the face, “ and I beg 
your pardon for knocking you down.” 

With that he turned on his heel and marched 
off. 

“ Coward I ” jeered the gentleman who had 
twice sought the repose of mother earth. “ You 
don’t dare to stay and fight it out, for fear ye ’ll 
get your pretty nose smashed.” 

Clifford made no reply, only walked the faster ; 
but Harry, who was nearest him, saw that his teeth 
were locked and his hands clinched. 

“ Go back and give it to him. Cliff,” urged Joe. 
“ I would n’t take that from any one, even if I was 
a Christian,” he added in an undertone. 

“No, no,” pleaded Nan. “Don’t urge him. I 
wish we had not gone near the place.” 

“ Better wait till he has a father-in-law, before 
he mounts guard over his apple trees,” growled 
Joe. “I’ve a good mind to go back and give him 
a blow on my own account.” 

“ Don’t you think of such a thing I” commanded 
Nan. “ Thank fortune ! here are the others.” 

“ What success did you have ? ” called out the 
rest of the party gayly. “ Did you get treated? ” 


172 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


The others eagerly explained, but Clifford was 
unusually silent during the row home, and so 
sober that he did not seem like himself. 

When they gathered round the camp fire Clif- 
ford took his Bible out of his pocket, and handed 
it to John, saying, “ You had better read to-night; 
I can’t.” 

John made no comment, but, opening the Bible, 
read slowly, “ ‘ I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, 
from whence cometh my help I ’ ” 

They did not linger over the fire, but retired as 
soon as they had sung their hymn. Clifford did 
not follow the others, but sat with his chin resting 
on his hand, looking thoughtfully into the coals. 

“Put it out when you leave it,” said John 
cheerfully, “ for we don’t want to set the woods 
on fire.” 

“ I ’ll look out for it,” replied Clifford without 
raising his eyes. 

A light step soon roused him, and, looking up, 
he saw Ella standing beside him with a shawl 
wrapped about her. 

“ Don’t feel so bad, Clifford,” said she, sitting 
down beside him. “ I am sure it was a very n t- 
ural thing to do.’* 


CLIFFORD MEETS APOLLYON. 


173 


“ I lost my temper, Ella,” he replied. “ Am I 
never going to be able to control myself?” 

“ Patience, Cliff,” said his sister cheerfully. 
“We can only gain the victory over ourselves by 
long watching and prayer.” 

“ But I forget to watch,” he replied despond- 
ently. “ It ’s all over in a minute, before I have 
time to think.” 

“ Remember what I have often told you. Cliff,” 
said Ella earnestly. “ The^ grace that made John 
a saint would hardly keep Peter from knocking 
a man down. You will have to fight and pray as 
he did. The Christ understands, and is ready to 
help you try again.” 

“ He must be tired of forgiving me,” said Clif- 
ford with a sigh. 

“ O Cliff ! ” cried Ella, springing up, “ don’t 
be discouraged. Remember you have not been try- 
ing very long, and you have made some advance ; 
for last year you would have pounded him to a 
jelly, and come from the conflict with a smashed 
nose and black eye.” 

“ I had to run away to keep from fighting to- 
night. Oh, what a coward I am ! ” said Clifford 
with a groan. 


174 BEBTHA'^S SUMMER BOABBEBS. 

“Why, Cliff, it is brave to run away sometimes,” 
said Ella. “ But don’t brood over this any longer. 
God has forgiven you, and will help you try again. 
So go to bed, like a sensible boy.” 

She left him with a comforting pat on the 
shoulder, and in a few minutes Clifford rose, and, 
stamping out the fire, went into the tent. 


THE PARTY. 


175 


CHAPTER XII. 

THE PARTY. 

The next day the three boys rowed down to 
the mill after some fresh milk, leaving the others 
at the camp. As they came in sight of the rest of 
the party on their return, Joe sang out gayly : — 

“Hurrah! We have got a jolly plan. Prepare 
to be astonished.” 

“ Full dress ball,” cried Clifford, recklessly wav- 
ing the kettle of milk. “ You girls will have to 
send down home for something to rig up in.” 

“ Be careful ! ” cried Bertha. “ You will spill 
that milk.” 

“I say,” bawled Clifford, “it ’s a good thing 
you brought your curler. Sis ; could n’t go if you 
had n’t.” 

“ Go where ? ” demanded Harry. 

“Don’t you little girls wish you knew?” said 
tormenting Joe. 


176 BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 

“ As if we cared,” said Harry scornfully. “ It ’s 
only some of your nonsense.’ ’ 

“ Kid glove reception at nine o’clock,” called 
out Clifford ; “ grand promenade at half-past ; ice 
cream and sherbet at ten.” 

“ ‘ And we won’t go home till morning,’ ” sang 
Joe in a melodious voice, pitched in a very high key. 

“ Now, do tell us all about it,” said Ella when 
the boys were on shore and Bertha had rescued the 
milk. 

“ You won’t be able to go,” replied her brother, 
“because you have n’t anything to wear.” 

“ Go where ? ” she demanded. 

“To the party,” Clifford replied. “But you 
can’t go, for we can’t go down home and get your 
toggery.” 

“What are you talking about?” said Ella. 
“ Has some one been treating you to sweet cider, 
and fuddled your brains ? ” 

“ Our brains are perfectly clear, madam,” replied 
Clifford with dignity. “We have been invited 
to a party.” 

“ Where ? ” asked Harry curiously. 

“ At the residence of one Mr. Albee, who lives 
a few miles above the mills.” 


THE PARTY, 


177 


“I don’t believe any one asked you,” Harry 
declared. “You invited yourselves.” 

“We did n’t, as it makes out,” Joe retorted. 
“The fellow at the mill told us to come and bring 
our girls.” 

“ How are we to get there ? ” asked Harry. 

“ He promised to have a haycart ready for us 
at the bridge.” 

“ Oh, what fun ! ” cried both Nan and Harry in 
delight. 

“But,” said Ella, “has the gentleman at the 
mill a right to invite guests to another man’s 
house?” 

“ What is the need of being so particular in the 
woods?” exclaimed Clifford. “The fellow said 
they would like to have us.” 

“ Of course they will,” said Harry. “ It is n’t 
like a real party, you know.’^ 

“ Ella can’t realize that she is hundreds of miles 
from the Hub,” said Clifford, “ and that she has n’t 
got to account to Back Bay for what she does.” 

“ Have you said anything to Mr. Murry about 
it ? ” asked his sister. 

Clifford directed a saucy wink towards John, 
and said gravely, — 


178 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ Ask your dominie to grant you an indulgence, 
girls, and forgive you beforehand for any scrape 
you may get into.” 

“ Please, Mr. Murry, may I speak?” asked Harry, 
holding up her hand. 

“ Certainly,” he replied. “ What is it ? ” 

“ Can we go to the party in a hayrick, if we 
promise to be good ? ” 

“ I am willing, if you will let me go too,” he 
replied. 

“Hurrah!” cried Joe, throwing up his straw 
hat. 

“ Bertha, do you approve of this wild-goose 
plan ? ” asked Ella, turning to her cousin. 

“ Now, don’t you say a word I ” cried Harry, as 
Bertha opened her lips. 

“ What do you think of it, Ella ? ” asked Bertha, 
without heeding Harry’s command. 

“ Now, you sha’n’t say a word against it,” and, 
going behind her cousin, Harry clasped both hands 
over her mouth, until the victim made imploring 
gestures of submission. 

In spite of their disapproval the two older girls 
were coaxed into making two of the party, and 
directly after supper they started off in the boat. 


THE PABTY. 


179 


“ If I had known we were going to be invited to 
a party,” remarked Harry, “ I would have brought 
my best gown.” 

“ Never mind,” said Clifford soothingly, “ your 
hair will be curled.” 

“ Little did I think,” exclaimed Ella, “ when I 
left my native land, that I would be guilty of 
going to a strange man’s house without an invita- 
tion ! ” 

“Shows how the natives have corrupted us,” 
said Clifford gravely. 

“ I like that ! ” cried Joe, “ when he hinted to the 
fellow that we would like to go.” 

“Is it possible?” said Ella. “Never mention 
that in Boston, if you value our reputation.” 

“I say. Cliff,” said Ned, “perhaps you ’ll meet 
the fellow you knocked down.” 

Clifford flushed beneath the rich Spanish brown 
of his sunburn, for he was sensitive on that sub- 
ject, and the boys were a little shy about chaffing 
him on his trouble with the young rustic. 

“ They will bury the hatchet, if they do meet,” 
said John, “ and Clifford can tell him what he was 
there for.” 

“ A fellow does n’t like to make a fool of him- 


180 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


self before his girl,” remarked Joe, “ and that was 
what made him so mad.” 

“ She will be there to-night, too,” said Harry. 
“Won’t it be fun? ” 

When they reached the bridge they found the 
hayrick all ready for them, half filled with new 
hay, in which the girls nestled with exclamations 
of delight. 

Joe took the reins, and they rattled off in grand 
style, tooting on the horn which Nan and Harry 
had insisted upon bringing. Dark figures were 
seen running to the doors of the farmhouses which 
they passed, and once a man in his shirt sleeves, 
bearing a lamp in his hand, called out to them in 
an angry tone, but they did not stop to hear what 
he said. 

When they reached their destination their spirits 
somewhat subsided, and they were comparatively 
quiet as they drew rein in the dooryard of a 
brightly lighted farmhouse. Joe threw down the 
reins, and jumped out, but the others seemed bash- 
ful about following. 

“ Why don’t you get out ? ” he demanded. 

“We are waiting for you to announce our 
arrival,” replied Nan. 


TBE PARTY. 


181 


“I ’m not going ahead,” he declared. “I ain’t 
invited.” 

“ Neither am I,” said Clifford solemnly, “ and I 
feel delicate about going in without an invitation.” 

“I did n’t know there was anything delicate 
about you,” retorted Joe. “ You were bold enough 
this morning.” 

“ I am bold enough now,” he declared. “ I ’m 
only waiting for you to go ahead.” 

“ I am glad to learn that my brother has some 
modesty,” said Ella. “ I think the best thing we 
can do is to gracefully retire.” 

“ I think so too,” said Bertha decidedly. “ Get 
in, Joe, and turn round.” 

“ Oh, don’t ! ” cried Harry. “ How foolish to go 
back now that we are here ! ” 

“ They don’t know that we are here,” said Nan. 
“ Blow the horn, Harry.” 

“No, no, don’t! ” cried Bertha, leaning forward 
to seize her sister’s arm ; but it was too late : Harry 
had the horn to her lips, and blew a blast before 
Bertha could prevent her. 

“Now you have done it,” said she in dismay. 
“ You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Harry.” 

The house door opened, and a crowd gath- 


182 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


ered round it. In the foreground was an old man 
well known to the young people of the village. 

“How are you, Mr. Albee ? ” cried Joe. “I 
have brought you a load of live stock.” 

“ How are ye, young folks ? ’ replied the old man, 
advancing to the hayrick. “We Ve been expect- 
ing ye all the evening. Come in ; come in.” 

“We feel rather bashful, Mr. Albee,” said John, 
“ and were just thinking about going away.” 

“That you, schoolmaster?” asked Ihe farmer. 
“ You ’ve got a big crowd here. How many of ye 
are there ? ” 

“We are all here, Mr. Albee,” said Harry sau- 
cily, “eight of us. Ain’t you glad there are no 
more ? ” 

“ And one good Democrat, Major,” piped Ned. 
“ I ’m the man for you there.” 

“ So ye are, sonny, so ye are ! ” cried the de- 
lighted Mr. Albee. “Give us yer hand on it. 
Now, boys and girls, pile out.” 

They obeyed this cordial invitation eagerly, all 
except Bertha. She could not make it seem right, 
nor feel at her ease. She had often seen Mr. 
Albee in the stores and about the village, but 
never spoke to him, and now they were going to 


THE PARTY. 


183 


his house as though they were old friends. To be 
sure, invitations were not given out especially to 
any : it was a gathering of all the country around, 
such as they had two or three times a year ; but 
Bertha could not forget the fact that she would 
never think of asking any of the Albee family to 
her house, neither would they dare to come thus 
uninvited. 

She did not dream that the old farmer considered 
it an honor to have the camping-out party beneath 
his roof, and that he felt quite overawed by the 
presence of the schoolmaster, of whose learning he 
had a very high opinion ; nor that his youngest 
daughter, a rosy-cheeked, black-eyed girl, was 
immensely flattered at having the “ towns-folks ” 
come to their party. 

The girls hung back bashfully as the new- 
comers entered the room; for they regarded Joe 
and Ned as superior beings, from the fact of their 
being “town boys ; ” and John, the school-teacher, 
they looked upon with awe. Clifford, however, 
surpassed and eclipsed all the others, with his 
graceful, easy manner, and his dark, handsome 
face, made all the more attractive by the coat of 
tan he had received during his sojourn in the 


184 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


woods. He was like a fairy prince to those girls, 
and though none of them ever saw him again, he 
was not forgotten. 

The young people made themselves at home; 
but Bertha could not enter into the rough, noisy 
games, and looked on in astonishment at blind- 
man’s buff, in which Ella joined, running as fleetly 
as any of them from the blind man. 

“ Why don’t you play, Bertha ? ” she asked her 
cousin. 

“ What would Miss Moore say, Ella ? ” Bertha 
replied, laughing. 

“ She would be dreadfully shocked, of course,” 
Ella replied, “ but it is n’t as bad as the German, 
and I used to dance that.” 

“ Is n’t it dreadful ? ” whispered Clifford over 
her shoulder. “ What a letter I shall have 
to write home ! You will see the Rev. Mr. 
Thorn coming down here to look after his stray 
sheep.” 

“ Hush ! ” said Ella, frowning at her brother. 

“ Who is the Rev. Mr. Thorn ? ” asked Bertha 
curiously. 

“The guardian of the flock,” replied Clifford 
gravely, “ of which Ella is the particular pet lamb. 


THE PARTY. 


185 


Only think how it would shock the old fellow to 
see her to-night ! ” 

“ It would not,” declared Ella. “ He would join 
in and play blindman’s buff as heartily as any 
one.” 

“ Forgetting his gout and his rheumatism ! ” ex- 
claimed Clifford. “Would n’t it be a sight for 
gods and men to see him chasing that stout damsel 
with the frizzes round the room ? ” 

Bertha did not understand the meaning of the 
laughing glance exchanged between the brother 
and sister, but thought no more about it, as some- 
thing else claimed her attention. 

A bountiful supper was provided, but Bertha was 
horrified to see the young men and women throw 
pieces of cake at each other, and snatch food from 
their neighbors’ plates. 

“ Don’t look so shocked, Bertha,” said John, 
laughing at her. “ Remember when we are in 
Turkey we must do as turkeys do.” 

“ Are you thinking of snatching Ella’s plate, 
and throwing your piece of cake at Harry ? ” she 
asked ironically. 

“ Oh, no,” he replied, “ but I can look on serenely 
while other people do it.” 


186 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Among the rosy-cheeked girls and awkward 
young men were Clifford’s enemy and his sweet- 
heart, the mill man’s daughter. The former, no 
doubt, cherished spite in his heart, but he did not 
care to say anything, for he had a misgiving 
that the encounter did not reflect credit on him- 
self. The story leaked out, and the sly fun at 
his expense increased the countryman’s wrath. 
Clifford’s popularity with the girls caused his 
jealousy to burn ; for Ella had been at great pains 
to explain her brother’s object to the young lady, 
and she was so angry with her lover for insulting 
the handsome young gentleman when he was about 
to pay her a delicate attention, that she snubbed 
him all the evening, and devoted herself to the 
strangers. 

After supper they played games of forfeits. 
John and the two older girls drew off one side, 
but the others joined in with great glee. The 
game was “Roll the Cover,” but the strangers 
were so quick that none of them got caught, until 
one young lady, calling Clifford’s number, gave 
the cover such a slight twirl that it was flat on the 
floor before he reached it, in spite of the spring 
which he made to catch it. 


THE PARTY. 


187 


They all clapped their hands as he stood in the 
middle of the floor, feeling that he was in for it, 
and wondering if he would be sent on a mission, 
and have to kiss all those red-cheeked girls. He 
would never hear the last of it, he thought, glan- 
cing out the corner of his eye at Ned and Joe, who 
were bursting with fun over his situation. 

But he was spared that ordeal, and only told 
to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, — an order 
which caused many hearts to flutter, and the mill- 
man’s daughter to toss her head with a conscious 
air, sure he would select her after he had planned 
to sing under her window only the night before. 
But Clifford gave one hasty glance round the 
room, then marching up to where Ella was sitting, 
bent over and gave her a hearty kiss. There was 
a row of blank faces in the circle of players. Joe’s 
head disappeared behind his neighbor’s chair; 
Harry choked down a laugh, and John softly ap- 
plauded with his hands. As for Ella, she was both 
amused and pleased with what her brother had 
done. She considered kissing games vulgar, and 
was glad he had got out of it so well. But it caused 
a decline in Clifford’s popularity. The girls could 
not think as highly of a young gentleman who 


188 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

preferred to kiss his own sister instead of some 
one else. But Clifford never knew it, so no harm 
was done. 

The party broke up at a late hour, and the hay- 
rick rattled off with a gay load, singing to a well- 
known air ; — 


We ’ll all go home in a hayrick 
The morning after the ball. 


AN ADVENTURE IN THE WOODS. 189 


CHAPTER XIII. 

AN ADVENTURE IN THE WOODS. 

The next day was unpleasant. It did not storm, 
but the sky was cold and gray, and a damp, chill 
wind blew from the east. The girls spent the 
morning over the fire, but the boys took hooks 
and lines, and, going up stream, returned at noon 
with their usual supply of fish for dinner. 

“ Oh, dear ! ” exclaimed Harry, “ I am tired of 
doing nothing. Let us take a walk. Nan.” 

“It is going to rain,” said Nan, looking up at 
the clouds, “ and I forgot to bring my umbrella.” 

“Nonsense!” declared Harry. “If it does n’t 
rain before noon it will keep off until night; 
won’t it, Mr. Murry ? ” 

“ I ’m no weather prophet,” replied John, “ but 
the old men say that when the wind is south-east 
and it begins to drop, it ’s a pretty good sign of 
rain.” 


190 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“The wind comes from that direction,” said 
Harry, holding up her handkerchief. “Is that 
east, Mr. Murry ? ” 

“ I suppose so,” he replied. “ The sun rose 
over there this morning.” 

“ Then the wind is n’t south-east,” said Harry, 
“ and it has n’t begun to drop yet, so come. Nan, 
let us take our walk.” 

“ I would rather finish this story, Harry,” 
pleaded Nan. 

“ Oh, dear ! ” sighed Harry, “ Nan won’t be any 
good to any one until she gets through that 
book.” 

Nan laughed as she turned a page, but Clifford 
called out cheerfully : — 

“ Come on, Harry ; I ’ll go with you if you want 
me to.” 

“ I ’m glad some one has a little life in him,” 
said Harry. “ Let us start in a new direction and 
see what we can find.” 

“ Wait till I get my gun,” called Clifford, going 
into the tent. “ It is n’t safe to go about a strange 
country unarmed.” 

“ Don’t get lost,” called out Ella as they left 
the camp. 


AN ADVENTUEE IN THE WOODS. 191 

“No danger,” replied Clifford over his shoulder. 
“ Bad pennies always return.” 

They could not feel the chill wind in the woods, 
and found it quite pleasant as they wandered 
on, laughing and chatting, stopping every once 
in a while to pick the ripe blueberries with which 
the bushes were laden. By and by they came to 
some high pasture land, where they could see the 
country for miles around. In a basin, shut in by 
wooded hills, was the lake, a steel gray, covered 
with white caps ; and the stream could be traced, 
like a silver thread, as far as the eye could reach. 
On the other side stretched an unbroken forest, 
until, far away to the north, they caught the gleam 
of another lake. 

“ What a forest ! ” exclaimed Clifford. “ It 
brings Cooper’s yarns right home, does n’t it? 
Indians used to live here once, did n’t they ? ” 

“Yes,” Harry replied; “and then it was forest 
everywhere. But they have been cutting away 
ever since the white man came, and some day, I 
suppose, it will be cleared land from the first to 
the second lake.” 

“ It ’s a shame to cut down these grand old 
trees,” declared Clifford. 


192 


BEBTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ It seems so,” replied Harry, “ but people must 
live, and lumbering is the only business round 
here.” 

“ Well, we ’ll enjoy the woods while we can,” 
said Clifford. “Let us explore that forest down 
there.” 

They left the high land, and went down into 
the woods, which were carpeted with soft green 
moss and trailing vines. Birds twittered in the 
branches overhead, and once a squirrel ran down 
the trunk of a tree, and looked at them saucily 
out of his bright eyes. Clifford raised his gun 
and took aim, but Harry caught his arm, begging 
him not to shoot, and he lowered it, not averse to 
sparing the little creature’s life. 

In a lovely green nook they came upon a rude 
camp with a blackened spot before the door. An 
old kettle and some tin cans proved that some- 
body had camped there at one time. 

They had no idea how far they had wandered, 
until, taking out his watch, Clifford uttered an 
exclamation of surprise at finding how late it was, 
and turning they hastily retraced their steps. 

But it is not so easy to keep the track in 
the thick woods, and though Clifford had noticed 


AN ADVENTURE IN THE WOODS. 193 

plenty of landmarks as he went along, he found 
it was not so easy to go from the decayed stump 
to the tree struck by lightning when they tried to 
retrace their footsteps ; for they had not made a 
straight course, but had zig-zagged about among 
the trees. Clifford at last gave up trying to follow 
their former course, and setting his face in the 
direction in which he thought the camp lay he 
pushed ahead, Harry following close behind. 

Neither spoke of any doubts or fears, but both 
felt a secret misgiving as they kept on and no 
opening appeared. Worst of all it began to rain ; 
big drops pattered on the leaves, and splashed 
down upon them. 

“ It is going to rain, I suppose, for it has begun 
to drop,” said Harry, but her laugh did not sound 
quite natural. 

“ Hurrah ! ” shouted Clifford. “ Here is a clear- 
ing at last.” 

They pushed eagerly ahead, but stopped short 
in surprise, for the spot was one neither of them 
had ever come across in any of their tramps. 

It was a clearing in the midst of the forest, in 
which stood a rude log house, with a stovepipe 
for a chimney. In front of the house was a chop- 


194 


BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOABBEBS. 


ping block, and the fresh chips lying about it 
proved that some one had been there recently. 
Clifford and Harry looked about them in silent 
astonishment, then turned to each other. 

“ Some one lives here,” said Harry in a low 
tone, as though she was afraid the owner of the 
property might be lurking behind the trees. 

“ Looks like it,” replied Clifford. “ Queer place 
for a summer cottage, though.” 

“ I have read,” said Harry, drawing nearer to 
her cousin, “ of madmen living in the woods this * 
way.” 

“An insane man never built that cabin,” said 
Clifford with cheerful assurance. “ Some fellow 
has got a camp here. He is n’t at home, though, 
so we can’t pay him a call.” 

“ I think,” said Harry decidedly, “ that we had 
better go home as quickly as possible.” 

“ So do I,” replied Clifford ; “ but I have got a 
little turned round, blundering about in the woods, 
so, if you will stay here, I ’ll climb one of those tall 
trees and take a look.” 

“ O Cliff ! ” cried Harry. “ Don’t leave me 
alone ; let me go too.” 

“ I won’t go far,” Clifford replied ; “ or be gone 


AN ADVENTURE IN THE WOODS. 195 

a minute. There is nothing to be afraid of, 
Harry.” 

Harry was ashamed to say that she was afraid, 
for she had always been proud of her courage, 
and Clifford himself had often called her a brave 
girl ; so she sat down on the chopping block, and 
said bravely, — 

“ All right, I 11 stay ; but don’t be gone long.” 

“ I ’ll be back in five minutes and a half,” said 
Clifford, speaking gayly to conceal his anxiety. 
“I ’ll leave my gun, and if the owner of this prop- 
erty comes and accuses you of trespassing you will 
have it to defend yourself with.” 

He went off with a laughing good-by ; but when 
he was alone his face grew grave, for he knew that 
they were lost, and that to find one’s way through 
the forest was no easy task. His only hope was 
that from the top of one of the tallest trees he 
could see the stream, and then tell in which direc- 
tion the camp lay. 

“ If I only had a compass,” he groaned, as he 
stumbled over the underbrush. 

There was nothing to do but make the best of 
it, however, so selecting one of the tallest trees he 
proceeded to work his way to the top. 


196 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Harry, in the meanwhile, sat on the chopping 
block in a most dejected attitude, the rain dripping 
down upon her from the leaves overhead. She 
was afraid they were lost, but that thought was 
nothing to the nervous fear which the strange spot 
in the heart of the forest gave her. Her active 
imagination peopled it with all sorts of dreadful 
persons. 

Now she imagined a madman had shut himself 
up there, and was peeping out at her from some 
crack or crevice, and, again, it was the hiding place 
of some robber or murderer, who might return at 
any moment and find her there. She started at a 
dozen imaginary sounds. The rustle of a bird was 
the approach of a madman ; the wind among the 
trees was the return of the band who were hiding 
from justice in that clearing which they had been 
so unfortunate as to stumble upon ; and she covered 
her eyes with a shudder, as she imagined figures 
starting out from behind the trees. She hated 
herself for her cowardliness, but could not help it. 
If there was some real danger, she thought, it 
would nerve her to be brave, but these nervous 
fears mastered her. 

What was that ? A footstep, surely. No mis- 


AN ADVENTURE IN THE WOODS. 197 

take this time : she could hear the twigs snap as 
some one slowly and cautiously advanced from the 
rear of the house. 

She started up, her heart beating wildly, and 
seized the gun. Clifford had told her to use it, 
she thought, as she placed a trembling hand on 
the trigger. A report rang through the woods, 
followed by a wild scream, as a man’s figure just 
emerging from behind the trees fell forward into 
a clump of bushes. 

The gun dropped from Harry’s nerveless hands, 
and she felt as thougli she were growing mad as 
she ran forward to the prostrate form. Before she 
reached the bushes Clifford picked himself up, 
looking rather pale. 

“ Oh ! ” screamed Harry, “I thought I had killed 
you,” and she dropped in a heap on the wet 
ground, too weak to stand up. 

“ Why did you fire that gun, Harry ? ” asked 
Clifford sternly. “ If I had n’t stumbled over 
those bushes you would have hit me.” 

“ O Clifford,” she sobbed, “ scold me ; punish 
me : I might have killed you. Are you hurt ? 
Did I hit you ? What shall I do ? Oh, what 
shall I do?” 


198 BEBTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

“It did not hit me at all,” replied Clifford. 
“ Don’t cry so, Harry ; I ’m all right. But why 
did you fire the gun?” 

“ I did n’t know it was you,” said Harry 
brokenly. “ I did n’t mean to fire at all, but my 
hand shook so that my finger slipped. O Cliff, 
if I had killed you I should have gone mad ! ” 

“ Well, you did n’t.” His voice shook a little, 
but he added in a steadier tone, — 

“ You must n’t lie there in the wet ; get up.” 

But Harry could only sob, for the shock had 
completely upset her. 

“ Come, you must get up,” said Clifford, tak- 
ing her by the arm ; “ the ground is wet, and so is 
your dress.” 

She obeyed him passively, but her limbs felt 
strangely weak when she tried to walk. 

“ I am afraid we are lost,” said Clifford, hoping 
to make her forget what had happened by telling 
her of their situation. “ There must be some high 
land between us and the lake, for I can’t see any- 
thing but woods. Now, the question is, what had 
we better do ? ” 

“ Do whatever you think best, Cliff,” replied 
Harry. “ I can’t think of anything but what 
might have happened.” 


AN ADVENTURE IN THE WOODS. 199 


“ Come, Harry,” said Clifford cheerfully, “ be a 
brave girl, and think no more about that. It was 
an accident which no one could help. Now, what 
had we better do ? ” 

“ Let us not stay here,” said Harry, looking 
about with a shiver. 

“ I have been thinking,” said Clifford slowly, 
“ that we had better stay in one place, for if we 
move around we may wander farther away, and 
make it harder for them to find us. Then it is 
raining hard. You are wet and hungry, so I think 
we had better make ourselves at home in this 
establishment.” 

“ O Cliff,” said Harry, “ we don’t know whom it 
belongs to.” 

“ Whoever the landlord is he won’t begrudge 
us the shelter of his domicile,” Clifford declared. 
‘‘ There is a stove there, and you must get dry, 
or you will catch your ‘ death of cold,’ as Kezia 
says.” 

Harry felt that she must obey Clifford, and, 
screwing up her courage, prepared to follow him ; 
but as they approached the house the sight of a 
dark figure coming from the woods caused her to 
seize Clifford’s arm with a slight scream. 


200 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

“ See there ! ” she whispered, trembling. “ Whom 
do you suppose it is ? ” 

“ The owner of the house,” said Clifford reassur- 
ingly. “ Don’t be afraid ; he won’t hurt you.” 

The figure which had startled Harry was that of 
an old man with rough gray hair hanging down 
from under an old cap. He advanced to the edge 
of the clearing, and stood staring at the strangers 
with his hands in his pockets. 

“ How do you do ? ” said Clifford, nodding 
politely. 

“ How d’ ye do ? ” he returned. “ May I ax who 
ye are ? ” 

“ My name is Clifford Preston,” said the boy 
frankly. “ There is a party of us camping out 
by Bailey’s stream. My cousin and I started out 
on a tramp and have got lost.” 

“ So ye are one of them fellers, are ye? ” said the 
old man, gazing meditatively at the pair. 

“ What fellows ? ” Clifford inquired. 

“ Them fellers camping out over yonder,” jerking 
his thumb over his shoulder. 

“ Did you know we were camping out ? ” asked 
Clifford. 

“ Ain’t much goes on in these woods that I 


AN ABVENTUBE IN THE WOODS. 201 


don’t know. So you got lost, did yer ? ” and a 
grim smile twisted his features. 

“ How far is it to our camp ? ” asked Clifford. 

“ Nigh on two miles.” 

“Would you guide us there for half a dollar ? ” 

“ Going to make a bargain, are ye, young 
sir ? ” said the old fellow, drawing down the lid 
of his right eye. 

“ I ’ll pay you for showing us the way,” Clifford 
replied. 

“ Wal, I ’ll have to have a bite of something 
first.” And he moved towards the log house. 

“We are pretty hungry,” said Clifford, “and 
would n’t object to something to eat.” 

“ Ye ’ll pay for that too, I s’pose,” said the old 
man shrewdly. 

“Yes, sir,” said Clifford promptly. 

“ Wal, then, we ’ll see about supper,” and he 
opened the rude door of the little camp. 

“ Do you live here ? ” asked Clifford, watching 
him. 

“ This is one of my residences,” he replied. 
“ I live round in spots.” 

“ What is your name ? ” 

“ Trapper Ben they call me. Now you can 
walk in and make verselves at hum.” 


202 


BERTHA'^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


It was a bare little hut which they entered, des- 
titute of furniture, except for a rusty stove and 
a few old chairs. 

Harry, whose fears had subsided, examined her 
surroundings with something of her usual spirits 
as she sat before the stove drying her wet skirts, 
while their host prepared the supper, which con- 
sisted of hasty pudding served in tin mugs and 
one plate, with which he honored Harry. Very 
black tea, without either milk or sugar, completed 
the meal ; but the guests were hungry and not very 
particular. 

Harry began to enjoy their adventure, but when 
they started out in the wet and damp to tramp 
through the woods she found she was very tired. 
Her head and feet ached, and it seemed as though 
she could not drag her weary limbs over the 
ground. She uttered no complaint, however, but 
trudged bravely on behind the others. 

The camp was reached at last; but only the 
girls were there, for John and the two boys had 
started off in search of the lost ones. Clifford 
fired the gun, the signal agreed upon should the 
wanderers return in their absence, and the reports 
soon brought them back. 


AN ADVENTURE IN THE WOODS. 203 


The adventure caused quite an excitement, but 
Harry was too tired to talk about it, and went at 
once to bed, but not until she had whispered to 
Clifford: — 

“You won’t tell them about that^ will you, 
Cliff?” 

“ Never,” he replied, and he kept his word. 


204 


BERTHA'' S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


CHAPTER XIV. 

ALMOST PEESUADED. 

It rained all night, and everything was wet and 
damp the next morning, but the boys soon had the 
camp fire burning, and after a while the sun came 
out. 

Harry was so sore and stiff after her tramp and 
wetting that they would not let her do anything, 
but ordered her to play the invalid. 

“ Harry is the heroine of the only adventure 
we have had,” said Ella, as they were eating 
breakfast. “I should like to see that old man’s 
hut. Who is he, Mr. Murry? You said last 
night you knew him.” 

“ I have heard of him ever since I was a boy,” 
replied John, “but he is n’t as notorious as he 
used to be.” 

“ Is he the old man who is always being taken 
up for stealing ? ” asked Bertha. 


ALMOST PERSUABEI). 


205 


“ The very one,” replied John. “ He has boarded 
a good deal in the county jail. He has been com- 
paratively honest since he took to trapping and 
living in the woods. Perhaps his last conversion 
did him some good.” 

“ His last conversion ? ” repeated Ella. “ How 
many has he had ? ” 

“ 1 would n’t undertake to say how many times 
he has been converted,” replied John. “Every 
once in a while he comes forward, and is a bright 
and shining light for a time. When I was a boy 
we used to go to meeting outside of the village on 
purpose to hear him talk. His favorite expression 
was, ‘ The Lord has put a new song in my mouth.’ 
The next week he was taken up for stealing a 
boat.” 

“ What was the song that was put in his mouth, 
then ? ” asked Joe. 

“ ‘ Steal Away,’ perhaps,” suggested Clifford. 

“ I would like to see his hut all the more,” said 
Ella, “since learning what a noted character he 
is.” 

“ I would n’t undertake to guide you there,” said 
Clifford, “ for my bump of locality is n’t to be 
depended upon.” 


206 


BERTBA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


‘‘ I ’m sure I never want to see the place again,” 
said Harry with a shudder, as she thought of what 
miglit have happened there. 

Friday was their last day, for on Saturday they 
were to break camp. At noon they had the most 
famous chowder of all. 

While the boys with aprons tied under their chins 
were helping the girls clear away, Harry withdrew 
from the merry crowd, and, seating herself by the 
stream, looked thoughtfully at the rippling water. 
She had not seemed like herself since their adven- 
ture, but had been so quiet and still that they all 
noticed it. She had not sat there long when Clif- 
ford, with a calico apron round his neck, came 
crashing through the bushes with a pail in his 
hand. 

“ Why, Harry ! ” he exclaimed in surprise, “ you 
here ? What are you thinking about all alone by 
yourself ? ” 

“ Yesterday,” she replied. “ I can’t get it out of 
my mind.” 

“ I ’d forget all about it,” said Clifford, drawing 
his dripping pail from the water, “ for it is n’t a very 
pleasant subject to remember.” 

“ But I can’t keep it out of my mind,” replied 


ALMOST PERSUADED. 


207 


Harry. “ What should I have done if I had killed 
you, Cliff?” 

“ Now, Harry,” said Clifford, sitting down be- 
side her, “ you must not think of that. It will do 
no good, and only give you the glooms.” 

“ Did God cause you to stumble, Clifford ? ” she 
asked with a shyness quite foreign to her. 

“ Of course he did,” said the boy confidently. 

“To save you? ” she asked'softly. 

“ To save us both,” said Clifford earnestly ; “for 
it would have been worse for you than for me.” 

“ Aren’t you afraid to die. Cliff ? ” 

“I have never thought much about it,” he 
replied. “ It has always seemed so far off. I am 
sure I would not be afraid to go to my Saviour 
whenever he calls me, but I love this life, and want 
to stay as long as he is willing. I thank him for 
saving me yesterday, for I don’t want to die that 
way.” 

“I can’t thank him,” moaned Harry, “for he 
is n’t my Saviour.” 

“He is your Saviour, Harry,” said^ Clifford. 
“ You know he wants you to come to him.” 

“ But I don’t know how to be a Christian, Cliff,” 
said Harry, like a little child. 


208 BEBTHA'S SITMMEB BOABBEBS. 


“ Do you want to be one, Harry ? ” he asked. 

“ I would give anything to be like you and Nan,” 
said she with a sigh, “ but I don’t know how.” 

Clifford was silent for a moment while he breathed 
an inward prayer that he might be able to help his 
cousin. He was a young Christian, and this was 
the first time he had been called upon to help a 
soul directly. 

“It’s just the sihiplest thing in the world, 
Harry,” said he, after a pause. “ If you wanted 
something of your father very much, what would 
you do ? ” 

“ Ask him for it, of course,” she replied. 

“Well, that is all you have to do to be a Chris- 
tian, — just ask Christ to be your Saviour.” 

“ But I shall have to come forward in meeting,” 
said Harry, “ and tell about my experience.” 

“Just join as an active member,” said Clifford. 
“ You won’t be afraid after you have once taken a 
stand.” 

“ But it is so hard. Cliff,” sighed Harry. 

“ I know it,” the boy replied. “ I was an 
awful coward. You know what a temper I have, 
Harry : I thought I could n’t join as an active 
member when I got mad every week. But at last 


ALMOST PERSUADED. 


209 


Ella convinced me that I could not rid myself of 
my temper, no matter how hard I tried ; that only 
Christ could take it away ; and if I waited till I 
got rid of it before I accepted Christ, I would 
never become a Christian ; so I came to him just as 
I was, and he has helped me ever since.” 

“ But, Cliff,” said Harry slowly, “how did you 
go to him ? ” 

“ I prayed,” said Clifford softly, while the color 
mantled his sunburnt cheek, for he could not 
speak of his inmost feelings easily. 

“ I wish you would pray for me,” pleaded 
Harry. “I don’t know how.” 

“Alan Thorn says it is just talking to God; 
when I think of it that way it brings him nearer.” 

“ But God is n’t to me what he is to you and 
Ella,” said poor Harry. “ He is so far off I can’t 
find him. Do pray for me. Cliff, I am so miser- 
able and unhappy.” 

“ Let us pray now,” said he earnestly. “ God 
hears everywhere.” 

Harry consented ; and, kneeling on the mossy 
turf, with her hand in his, the simple young 
Christian prayed : — 

“Dear Father, Harry wants thee very much. 


210 


BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


She needs thee to help her, but she does not know 
how to find thee. Wilt thou not show her the 
way, and teach her by thy Holy Spirit what it is to 
be a Christian. We ask it in Christ’s name. Amen.” 

Though Harry rather prided herself on the fact 
that she did not cry on all occasions, as some girls 
did, her cousin’s short, earnest prayer moved her 
to tears, and she sobbed as heartily as ever Emma 
Baker had done. 

“I don’t know what I am crying for,” she 
sobbed, “ but I can’t help it, so please leave me 
alone to think it over.” 

Clifford obeyed, and, taking up the pail, went 
back to where the others were. 

“ Hope you ’ve been gone long enough after that 
water ! ” said Joe. “ Did n’t know but you had 
got lost again.” 

“ Where is Harry, Cliff ? ” asked Nan. 

“Sulking,” Joe informed her. “She has been 
down in the dumps ever since she went off yester- 
day and brought up at Trapper Ben’s.” 

“ I ’ll go and find her,” and Nan slipped away 
in search of her friend. 


“ It is our last evening,” said John, poking the 


ALMOST PETtSUABED. 


211 


fire with the stick he held, as they all sat around 
it after tea. 

“Don’t mention it! ” said Harry. “Let us for- 
get that we are going home to-morrow.” 

“ I wonder where we shall all be next year at 
this time,” said Ella, thoughtfully gazing into the 
coals. 

“ I shall be just where I am now,” said Bertha 
with a slight sigh. 

“ On that very same log ? ” asked Clifford. 

“ No,” she replied ; “ but at home, doing the 
same thing day after day.” 

“Perhaps not,” said Ella cheerfully. “You 
don’t know what delightful thing may come to 
you next year.” 

“I have given up expecting,” replied Bertha. 
“ Nothing delightful ever does happen. Every 
new year of my life is just like those that have 
gone before.” 

“ You have had something new this year,” said 
Clifford. “Last August you did n’t know me. 
You ought to be very thankful for my friend- 
ship.” 

“ I am. Cliff,” said Bertha, looking down affec- 
tionately at the handsome boy at her feet. “ I am 


212 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


SO glad that I decided to take boarders this sum- 
mer. I wish you would both promise to come next 
year.’’ 

“ And camp out at Bailey’s stream,” added John. 

“ All right ; it is a bargain,” cried Clifford, and 
he began to carve the date on a piece of board 
with his jackknife. 

“We will all sign it,” said John. “ Your name 
must be first. Miss Preston.” 

“ I ’m afraid I can’t,” said she, while her brown 
eyes sparkled in the firelight. “ I shall be needed 
somewhere else next year.” 

“We have had too good a time for it ever to be 
repeated,” said Bertha with some bitterness. 

“ You must come and see me next year,” said Ella. 

“ That will be impossible,” said Bertha, shaking 
her head. “I shall never be able to leave home.” 

“ Let us have some music,” said John cheerfully, 
handing Ella her banjo. 

She fingered the strings thoughtfully for a mo- 
ment, and then began the sweet air of the old 
army song : — 

We ’re tenting to-night; 

Tenting to-night; 

Tenting on the old camp-ground. 


ALMOST PERSUADED. 


213 


The party was not as merry as usual, lor the 
thought that they were to break camp on the mor- 
row, and that the jolly comradeship might never 
be renewed, made them rather sober ; but for all 
that it was a gay company that rowed down stream 
the next morning, shouting : — 

“ Good-by, old Bailey ! good-by ! ” 

It was late in the afternoon when they rattled 
up the lane, and Kezia ran to the door with her 
hands all flour, for she was making biscuits for tea’. 

“ How nice and clean you look, Kezia ! ” said 
Bertha as she entered the kitchen. “I am stiff 
with dirt.” 

The girls went upstairs at once to take a bath, 
and came down to supper in fresh, light dresses. 

“ I feel like a new creature,” said Ella. “ How 
much good it does one to camp out ! I wish you 
would try it, auntie.” 

“ My dear Ella ! ” exclaimed Miss Moore, “ how 
can you be so absurd as to think of my going into 
the woods, and living in a tent ? ” 

“ It would do you good,” Ella declared. 

“ Yes, auntie,” chimed in Clifford, “ we would 
swing your hammock up in a tree where the 
snakes and spiders could n’t get at you.” 


214 


BFRTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


“ My dear Clifford ! ” implored his aunt, “ do not 
mention such things ; you take away my appetite.” 

“ The spiders are nothing to the ants,” declared 
the boy. “ You just ought to see them ! ” 

“ My dear Clifford,” said Miss Moore, leaning 
back in despair, “ if you have any mercy you will 
desist, and not describe your life in the woods 
farther.” 

“ But you know I ’m uncommonly fond of aunts,” 
^aid the boy, “ especially when they tip.” 

“Your mother spoils you by allowing you so 
much pocket money,” declared Miss Moore, at 
which there was a general smile, for they all 
knew that the lady nearly doubled her nephew’s 
allowance. 

Clifford looked forward to Monday evening, hop- 
ing Harry would give some manifestation of her 
feelings. 

The Endeavor meeting was well attended, and 
unusually impressive, but what Clifford was pray- 
ing for did not come. Harry sat silent, and no one 
but her cousin knew how seriously she was think- 
ing, until just before the meeting closed, when she 
said in a trembling voice, — 

“ Please sing ‘ Almost Persuaded.’ ” 


ALMOST PEBSUABEB, 


215 


Clifford’s dark eyes sparkled, and he sang with 
all his heart. At the lines — 

Prayers rise from hearts so dear, 

their eyes met, and Harry felt tears in her own. 
She was afraid she was getting to be as bad as 
Emma Baker about crying. 

No one said anything to her on the subject after 
meeting, for they knew that a soul ought not to 
be handled roughly ; but there were many prayers 
that night that Harry White might be fully per- 
suaded to become a Christian. 


216 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


t. 


CHAPTER XV. 

BERTHA TRANSFORMED. 

The next week a wealthy invalid lady who 
could not go out opened her large, handsome house, 
and invited the Christian Endeavor Society there 
to a social, and all those who could play, sing, or 
give recitations were asked to take part. Harry 
and Bertha were left out, for the White girls had 
no accomplishments, and could not shine in society. 
Bertha did not mind this, for she had outgrown 
the days when she had longed to sing like a bird, 
and wept because she could not play the piano 
like other girls, and now she laughingly declared 
that she had rather be useful than ornamental. 

But not so Harry. When the social was first 
planned she began to cultivate a little weed of 
envy, until it grew to quite a plant. Strangest 
of all, this jealousy was caused by Nan, her best 


BEBTHA TRANSFORMEl). 


217 


and dearest friend, and it was all because she had 
a piano. 

Now, the piano was nothing new; Nan had had 
it ever since she was a little girl, and it had never 
troubled Harry until they began to get ready for 
the social. 

Nan had a prominent place on the program. 
She was to play a duet with Clifford, so he was 
obliged to go down to her house to practice it 
every evening. Besides the duet. Nan began to 
accompany him in his cornet solos, and they had 
very pleasant times together. 

Of course Harry always went with Clifford, but 
it was not much fun to sit in the corner and look 
on and listen, and she often wished that cornets 
and pianos had never been invented. Harry was 
not used to being in the background, and at last 
vowed that she would not go to Nan’s to another 
rehearsal ; so the next evening when Clifford came 
down, cornet in hand, Harry sat by the table 
reading. 

“ Hurry up, Harry,” said he, “ or we shall be 
late ; Ella is going down to try my solo with me. 
We have n’t played together for so long, I expect 
that we are pretty rusty.” 


218 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ I wish we had an instrument,” said Bertha, 
“so that you could practice at home. What are 
you going to play to-morrow night ? ” 

“ There was a small boy had a toot, 

And the neighbors all threatened to shoot ; 

But the toot the next day 
Was filled full of clay, 

And spoiled all the toot of the toot I “ 

chanted Clifford. 

“Be about so, if we had neighbors within a 
quarter of a mile,” growled Joe, who disliked the 
cornet as much as Harry did. 

Clifford’s reply was the bugle call at the foot of 
the stairs for his sister. She soon made her appear- 
ance dressed for the street. 

“ Come, Harry,” said . Clifford for the second 
time. 

“ I ’m not going,” said Harry coolly. 

“Why not?” 

“ I don’t feel like it.” 

“ But this is our last rehearsal,” said Clifford in 
surprise. 

“ You don’t need me,” said Harry sharply. “ I 
don’t know anything about music.” 


BERTHA TRANSFORMED. 


219 


“What ails you, Harry?” asked CliiGford in 
astonishment. 

“ Nothing,” said Harry shortly. “ Only I don’t 
want to go down to Nan’s.” 

“ Glad of it,” declared Joe. “We can have a 
sensible game of checkers.” 

“ You need n’t go if you don’t want to,” said 
Clifford with dignity. “ Come on, Sis.” 

After they were gone Joe coaxed Harry to play 
checkers with him ; but she took so little interest 
in the game that at last he closed the board in 
disgust, saying it was too easy to beat her, and 
Harry went up to her own room, where she in- 
dulged in a good girlish cry. 

The next afternoon Ella tapped at her cousin's 
door. 

“Come in,” said Bertha; “I am too lazy to 
change my dress.” 

“ You are tired out,” replied Ella, “and will be 
glad when your boarders are gone.” 

“ No, indeed ! ” she declared. “ I can’t bear to 
think of your going; I have enjoyed this summer 
so much.” 

“ Even if I have organized a Christian Endeavor 
Society,” laughed Ella. 


220 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


“ That is one reason I am so thankful you came,” 
replied Bertha. “ It has helped me so much. I 
did n’t use to be able to say anything, and now it 
is not hard at all.” 

“ I think that is the way with everything we do 
for Christ,” said Ella. “ If we are willing, and 
really try, he always helps us.” 

“ O Ella ! ” exclaimed Bertha, “ I did not know 
anything about working for Christ until you came. 
You have helped me so much.” 

“I am so glad,” said Ella, with shining eyes, 
“for helping souls is to be my life work.” 

Bertha did not like to ask questions, though 
the expression of her cousin’s face made her very 
curious; but presently Ella turned to her with 
the abrupt question : — 

“ What are you going to wear this evening ? ” 

“ What a frivolous creature you are ! ” laughed 
Bertha. “ It won’t take me long to decide on my 
toilet ; I have nothing but my cashmere.” 

“ How did you happen to choose black for sum- 
mer ? ” asked Ella. “ Do you prefer it to shades ? ” 
“ My dear Ella,” said Bertha lightly, “ I never 
get a summer wardrobe. When I need it, I get a 
good dress, and keep it for my best as long as I 


BEliTIIA TRANSFORMED. 


221 


can, then make it over. As long as there is a rag 
of it left it does duty in some way.'' 

“ Why did you select black ? ” asked Ella. 

“ Because it is such a good color to wear,” replied 
Bertha. “ My dresses have to do duty so long I 
get tired of colors.” 

“ Why do you never wear white ? ” asked Ella. 
“ Do you feel too old ? ” 

“ Oh, no,” laughed Bertha ; “ but I can’t afford 
it, it soils so easily.” 

“ But white goods are so cheap,” said Ella, “ and 
canvas cloth makes up very prettily.” 

“ But they get soiled, and that is the end of them. 
A plain black cashmere is better for me. It is 
good enough for an Endeavor Social, and that is 
all the dissipation I shall indulge in.” 

“ I want to ask a great favor of you, Bertha,” 
said Ella gravely. “May I fix your dress a little 
for this evening ? ” 

“ How ? ” asked Bertha in surprise. 

“ With a piece of white surah silk I have. I 
think I can make it very pretty, if you are willing 
to trust me.” 

“ Of course I am,” Bertha replied. “ But why 
take the trouble? The dress is good enough for me.” 


222 


BEBTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


“ Take it down. I ’ll be back in a minute.” 

She ran into her own room, and soon returned 
with a piece of creamy white silk, smelling faintly 
of heliotrope. 

“ Don’t be frightened,” said she, beginning to rip 
recklessly at the plain black basque. “ I have 
kept my talents in a napkin all summer, and you 
have no idea what a genius I have for fixing 
dresses.” 

“What are you going to do?” asked Bertha, 
watching her cousin rip up her dress in some 
dismay. 

“Take this choker off,” replied Ella calmly. 
“No one wears this kind of collar now.” 

“I know it,” said Bertha meekly, “but they 
were worn when I had the dress made.” 

“They went out of fashion all at once,” said 
Ella, “ and I was glad to see them go, for, though 
they were just the thing for long necks, they were 
abominable on me. You ought not to wear them 
either, Bertha : your throat is too white and pretty 
to hide.” 

“ How can one keep in fashion ? ” sighed Bertha. 
“ My dresses are out of style before they are fin- 
ished. If I adopted all the little quirks, like 


BERTHA TRANSFORMED. 


223 


collars and puffed sleeves, it would take all my 
time.” 

“ It does n’t take all my time,” said Ella, “ and 
I attend to all the little quirks. I am fond of 
pretty clothes, I own, but I do not give all my 
time and thoughts to them as some girls do.” 

“ You have plenty of time and money,” said 
Bertha. 

“ And don’t use half as much of either on my 
clothes as you think I do,” she declared. “ I am 
going to produce a very pretty dress for you with- 
out using a bit of money, and very little time.” 

“ Can’t I help ? ” asked Bertha. 

“ Yes,” replied Ella in a businesslike tone ; 
“you can gather this silk.” 

Bertha got a fine needle and spool of white silk, 
and skt down, feeling rather odd to be doing any- 
thing so pretty and dainty for herself. 

That evening Ella slipped a pale pink dressing- 
sack over her white skirts, and, presenting herself 
again at Bertha’s door, found her combing her hair, 
while Harry sat on the bed buttoning her boots. 

“I have another great favor to ask of you, 
Bertha,” said she, “ and then I will leave you in 
peace forever.” 


224 BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

“ What is it ? ” asked Bertha ; “ I am prepared 
for anything.” 

“ Let me cut and curl your hair.” 

Bertha sank into a chair, leveling her brush in 
dumb surprise at her cousin. 

“ I did n’t ask to cut your head off,” said she, 
“ only your hair.” 

“ Do let her. Bird,” pleaded Harry. 

“ At my time of life ! ” groaned Bertha. 

“ Older ladies than you wear curled wings,” 
said Ella. “ I ’ll promise not to make you look 
younger than twenty.” 

“ But how shall I curl it ? ” asked Bertha. 

“ With my curler, till you get one of your own.” 

“ Oh, do cut it right away ! ” cried Harry, jump- 
ing up. “Let ’s scalp her. I ’ll hold her head,” 
and she seized her sister round the neck, while Ella 
clashed the shears over their victim. 

“ I submit ! I submit ! ” cried Bertha. “ Don’t 
murder me.” 

“ The victim is ready,” cried Harry, dancing 
about excitedly. “ Bring on your instruments, 
and begin.” 

Bertha gave herself up, and Ella began to comb 
out her long hair. 


BERTHA TRANSFORMED, 2i5 

“ Your hair is just lovely,” said she. “ You 
have twice as much as I have.” 

“ But it is n’t half as pretty,” said Bertha from 
behind the veil Ella had combed over her face. 

“ Yours will put mine in the shade when I get 
it arranged,” said she. “Now for the fatal clip ! 
There ! a Boston barber could n’t have done it 
better.” 

“But see how much of my wig you have 
sacrificed ! ” 

“ You could spare it just as well as not,” de- 
clared Ella, “ and never miss it.” 

“Now curl it,” said Harry, ‘ and let us see how 
it is going to look.” 

“ No,” said Ella, “ I am going to do her back 
hair first.” 

Bertha submitted patiently to the hairdressing, 
finding it rather a novel sensation to have her 
head of interest to any but herself ; but when she 
confronted her image in the glass, she gazed at it 
in silent amazement. Ella had drawn her hair up 
on the top of her head, and fastened it in a loose 
knot, which showed the curves of her graceful 
little head, while the wavy fringe in front shaded 
the white forehead, and gave to her face a girlish 
look which it had never worn before. 


226 BEBTIIA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ Do you like it ? ” asked Ella anxiously. 

“ I think so,” said Bertha slowly, “ but it does n’t 
look like me.” 

‘‘It’s prettier; that’s all,” said Harry frankly. 
“It ’s awfully becoming. Now that you have 
sheared the sheep, Ella, suppose you take the 
lamb.” 

“ No,” said Ella decidedly. “ Your hair curls 
naturally, and you could n’t wear it any other 
way that would be more becoming. Now let us 
see how the dress is going to look.” 

“ When are you going to dress ? ” demanded 
Bertha. 

“ Oh, never mind me,” laughed Ella. “ I feel 
as I used to when I had a new doll. Don’t tumble 
your hair putting on the skirt.” 

Ella watched anxiously, afraid lest her work 
should not prove a good fit. But her fears were 
soon put to rest, for the dress was perfect. The 
soft white silk, gathered into a loose front, made 
the dress look like a new one, and, the tight choker 
being gone, Bertha’s white throat showed with a 
good effect against the black. 

“I don’t believe I shall like it,” said Bertha, 
“ my neck is so bare.” 


BERTHA TRANSFORMED. 227 

“ You are not used to it, that is all,” laughed 
Ella. “ But I ’ll remedy it,” and running into 
her own room, she soon returned with a piece of 
velvet ribbon, which she tied round her cousin’s 
throat. 

“ There, now you are just perfect,” she declared, 
“ and look nice.” 

“I don’t feel or look like myself,” she com- 
plained. 

“You are like Cinderella after the fairy god- 
mother came,” said Harry gayly. 

“ More like the jackdaw in the borrowed 
plumes,” laughed her sister. 

“ Your hair and dress are your own property, 
madam,” said Ella. “ You neither stole nor bor- 
rowed them.” 

“ When are you going to dress ? ” asked Bertha. 

“ I ’ll get into my clothes now,” said she. “ It 
won’t take me two minutes to dress.” 

“ I will go downstairs and wait,” began Bertha, 
but Ella cried imploringly, “ Oh, don’t, until I am 
ready ! I want to see the effect you ’ll produce on 
the boys.” 

“All right,” replied Bertha. “I feel like a 
Paris doll that has just arrived.” 


228 BERTH A^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Ella dressed with nimble fingers, and soon came 
back arrayed in a black and white India silk. 

“Now we are ready,” said she, throwing a deli- 
cate white wrap over her arm, “ and will proceed 
to the sitting room and create a sensation.” 


THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL, 


229 


CHAPTER XVI. 

THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL. 

The boys had been ready some time, and Clif- 
ford, in his best suit, with shining linen and care- 
fully brushed hair, was holding a large skein of 
soft white wool for his aunt, while Joe sat before 
the fire looking and feeling like a martyr. He 
did n’t want to go to the social at all, for, as he 
expressed it, he felt like a fool standing round 
among a parcel of girls ; but Ella had coaxed him 
into it, and he had gotten into his best clothes, 
frowning at his image in the glass as he struggled 
with his collar button, and muttering imprecations 
in regard to his cuffs. He did not see how Clif- 
ford could appear so much at home in his best 
clothes, for he did n’t know how to act in his, and 
was so painfully conscious of his arms and legs 
when he went into company, that he could not 
enjoy himself. 


230 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ How long it takes a girl to rig up,” growled 
this young gentleman. “ All they think about is 
their duds.” 

“ What a blessing it is to be a man ! ” remarked 
Clifford. “We don’t have to curl our topknots. 
Don’t you wish your wig did n’t cause you any 
more trouble than mine does, auntie ? ” 

“I do not wear a wig,” replied Miss Moore. 
“ My hair all grew on my head once, but I always 
save my combings, and have them manufactured 
into switches. There, that is done. To think of 
having to send to Boston to match a skein of 
yarn ! How can people live in such a benighted 
place?” 

Kezia sniffed disdainfully, and remarked some- 
thing- to the effect that they managed to get along 
very well, but the entrance of the girls interrupted 
the conversation. 

► “We have come down to receive your compli- 
ments,” said Harry. “ How do we look ? 

Clifford rose and made a grand bow. 

“ I am struck dumb with admiration,” said he, 
“and have no words to express my feelings,” 

“ There ! ” said Harry indignantly, “ I said those 
stupid boys would n’t notice anything.” 


THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL. 


231 


“ Do T understand your remark to be addressed 
to me, Miss White ? ” asked Clifford with dignity. 

“ Yes, it is,” she retorted. “ A girl might pow- 
der her hair white and dress in a bag, and you boys 
would n’t notice it.” 

At this speech Clifford walked round his cousin, 
gravely inspecting her from head to foot, as she 
stood in her simple white dress, her curls tied up 
with a knot of scarlet ribbon. 

“ Your hair is not white,” said he, “and I don’t 
think that dress was made out of a bag. Auntie, 
lend me your glasses, and let me see if they will 
help me discover what Harry has done to her- 
self.” 

“ I did n’t say I had done anything,” pouted 
Harry, as Clifford adjusted his aunt’s glasses to 
his nose. “ Do look at Bird, and see if you can 
discover any change.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Joe, in a tone of deep contempt, 
“ she ’s banged her hair.” 

“ There, Bertha White ! ” cried Kezia, “ I thought 
you had more sense. Harry ’ll be fringing hers 
next.” 

“ I hope you are not disappointed, Ella ? ” said 
Bertha, turning merrily to her cousin. 


232 BEETHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

“ But I am,” she replied, “ for I expected them 
to fall flat with admiration.” 

“ You are real mean,” pouted Harry. “ You 
might pay her one compliment, I should think.” 

Clifford gravely inspected Bertha through his 
aunt’s eyeglasses, as she stood in the middle of 
the room laughing and blushing. “ You look very 
pretty. Bird,” said he, as he finished his survey. 

“ Thank you,” said Bertha warmly, for she 
liked the boy’s frank compliment. “ Is n’t it time 
to go? Let me see if your necktie is straight, 
Joe.” 

“I’m all right,” said Joe, twitching from under 
his sister’s hands. “You girls might be content 
with prinking yourselves, and let us fellows 
alone.” 

“ Let me pull your coat sleeves down over 
your cuffs,” persisted Bertha. “ There, now you 
look very well, Joseph.” 

“ Don’t you want a flower in your buttonhole, 
Joe?” asked Harry teasingly. “ I ’ll get you one 
if you do, and then you will be perfectly killing.” 

“ I won’t go at all if you don’t let me alone,” 
growled Joe. 

“Joe is my knight,” said Ella, coming to the 


THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL. 


233 


rescue. “Boys don’t like to go with their own 
sisters, so he can escort me.” 

“ Cliff and I will swap,” said Joe with a grin. 
“ He need n’t think he ’s got the best of the bar- 
gain, for you are worth more than the other two 
put together.” 

“What an amazing compliment!” cried Ella. 
“ Now you must put on my cloak, like a gallant 
knight.” 

Joe received the dainty white wrap in some dis- 
may, and gravely inspected it inside and out. 

“ How does it go ? ” he demanded. 

“ You must throw it over my shoulders. Oh, 
not that way I You have put it on upside down.” 

“ Does that go on your head ? ” he asked, giv- 
ing the ornamental hood a twitch when he had 
succeeded in getting the wrap on right at last. 

“ No ; I shall put this scarf on my head,” replied 
Ella. “ Now please button my glove.” 

“Oh, I can’t,” cried Joe. “My fingers are all 
thumbs.” 

“ But you must,” she persisted, still holding out 
her little hand. 

“ The girls round here button their own gloves,” 
said Joe ungallantly, “ and don’t ask us fellows to 
quirk over ’em.” 


234 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“They would like to have you all the same,” 
declared Ella. “ Practice on me, and when you 
can do it nicely, offer to button Nan’s some 
time, and see how pleased she will be.” 

“ The fellows would laugh,” said Joe confiden- 
tially. 

“ They are not worth minding,” said Ella, “ and 
I know some who would not. Nice, gentlemanly 
boys always button their mother’s and sisters’ 
gloves.” 

“ Cliff don’t have to milk,” said Joe, giving his 
handsome cousin an envious glance. 

“ You may not have to always,” said Ella in 
a comforting tone. “ But we shall be late if we 
don’t start.” 

Joe obeyed his cousin, and succeeded in pulling 
off two buttons in his attempt to fasten her gloves. 

“There, see what I have done!” said he. 
“ Guess you wish you had buttoned ’em yourself, 
now.” 

“Never mind,” said Ella cheerfully. “No dam- 
age is done but what I can easily repair. We 
are ready at last. Good-night, auntie and Kezia.” 

The house was brilliantly lighted, and as they 
went up the walk they could see figures moving 


THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL. 


235 


about between the half-drawn curtains. As they 
stood on the steps a terrible attack of bashfulness 
seized Joe, and he would rather have taken the 
dentist’s chair than entered those rooms full of 
people. His legs felt as though they were gal- 
vanized as he went into the hall. He never knew 
how he made his bow to his hostess, but at last 
found himself in the parlor, seated between two 
girls. 

The guests were all members of the Endeavor 
Society, — girls that he saw every day, — but if 
they had been titled ladies he would not have 
felt more awkward or ill at ease. He looked at 
Clifford and wondered how he could talk with 
those stranger girls as easily as he did with Harry 
at home. He could not think of a single thing to 
say to the young lady beside him, but was all the 
time trying to hide his red hands and dispose of 
his long legs. 

But he was not even allowed to sit in his 
obscure corner long, for some girls came down 
from the dressing room, and Clifford, seeing that 
the chairs were all occupied, sprang up and offered 
them his. Joe knew that he must do the same, 
though he never could understand why boys and 


236 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


men had no right to sit down when girls and 
women were standing. On the present occasion 
he thought he needed the chair much more than 
the girls did, but, since the law of good breeding 
decreed it otherwise, he must submit. So with 
a jerk and bow something like a jackknife with a 
good spring, he rose and offered his chair to Lucy 
Nash. She took it with a low “ Thank you,” 
and poor Joe was left to the agony of standing. 

The act had been one of the simplest on Clif- 
ford’s part, and he stood easily on his legs, still 
talking with the girls, as his cousin had seen him 
do countless times in their own sitting room ; but 
Joe stood like a ramrod, his arms folded in a tight 
knot, looking as uncomfortable as he felt. If some 
of the other girls had been in Lucy’s place they 
might have helped him, but she was as bashful as 
he, and sat with her hands folded meekly in her 
lap, in utter silence. 

It was not a very social gathering. The girls, 
dressed in their best, looked bright and pretty, 
but the party feeling was too strong for them 
to be free and easy. Ella had been taken posses- 
sion of by the hostess, who enjoyed the young 
stranger from the outside world, and could do 


THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL. 


237 


nothing to relieve the stiffness. Bertha was shut 
off by herself by the piano until John Murry 
entered the room and was provided with a seat 
near her. As good evenings were exchanged his 
eyes rested on her with a pleased glance, and 
though he could not have told what she had done 
to alter her appearance, he thought how well she 
was looking, and wondered why he had never 
before noticed how pretty she was. 

Etta Stewart was chairman of the Social Com- 
mittee, and as soon as John was seated she came 
up to him. 

“ How stiff every one is ! ” said she. “ I should 
think they had never seen each other before.’’ 

“I think we are doing very well,” said John 
glancing round the room. “ They will be more 
social by and by.” 

“ There is the stiffest set of people in this town 
that I ever saw ! ” declared the young lady. “We 
can’t have anything here because they won’t be 
social, but act as though they were afraid of each 
other in a place like this.” 

“ What would you have them do ? ” asked 
John, looking much amused. 

“Why can’t they move about,” she replied. 


238 


BEBTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“instead of sitting round the room, looking as 
though they were at a funeral ? ” 

“It is n’t always easy to move about,” said 
John, “ but as you and I are the oldest we might 
set them an example. Will you take my arm and 
make a tour of the room ? Perhaps the others 
would join in and form a procession.” 

“There are n’t gentlemen enough to go round,” 
laughed Miss Stewart. “ There never are in this 
town.” Turning to Bertha, she continued, “ I 
think your cousin might do something to entertain 
the young people. She has n’t spoken to any one 
but Mrs. Nelson.” 

“ Mrs. Nelson is asking her about some mutual 
friends,” replied Bertha. “She can’t leave her 
very well.” 

“ Mrs. Nelson ought not to monopolize her,” 
Miss Stewart declared. “Your cousin ought to 
contrive to get away from her.” 

“ How can she ? ” asked Bertha indignantly. 
“Mrs. Nelson is her hostess, and is enjoying her 
talk with Ella so much.” 

“ Why don’t you open your program ? ” asked 
John. “ I think they are waiting for that.” 

“ I am waiting for Mr. Smith,” she replied, “ but 


THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL. 


239 


of course he will be late ; he is never on time any- 
where.” 

“Here he is now,” said John, as the hall door 
slammed. “ You can’t say he is n’t on time to- 
night.” 

Miss Stewart accosted the minister as soon as 
he entered the room. Adjusting his eyeglasses, he 
announced the first piece on the program, which 
was Nan and Clifford’s duet. 

The program was listened to very quietly. No 
one talked while the performers went through their 
part, only the girls whispered a few comments on 
their manners and appearance. 

Harry sat beside Emma Baker, and looked en- 
viously across the room to where Nan and Clifford 
seemed to be having such a good time. Emma 
was to read, and held her book open on her 
lap. 

“ I should have thought they would have asked 
you to read,” said she to Harry. “ You are the 
only girl left off the program.” 

“ I don’t care,” said jealous Harry. “ I hate to 
read in public.” 

“ I don’t mind it a bit,” said Emma compla- 
cently. “ I guess I know why they did n’t ask you 


24a BEBTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

to read ; it 's because you are not an active mem- 
ber. Etta said you ought to be.” 

“Don’t know how she knows,” said Harry 
shortly. 

“You read as well as any one,” said Emma in a 
patronizing tone. “ Ella and Cliff are going to play 
now. Is Ella’s dress India silk? She is awful 
stylish. I think Cliff is awfully handsome ; but 
don’t tell him I said so, will you ? ” 

“ You need n’t worry,” said Harry contempt- 
uously ; “there is no danger.” 

“ Nan thinks so too,” Emma continued. “ She 
is trying awfully hard to get him.” 

“No such a thing ! ” said Harry indignantly. 
“ Nan Winters is n’t that kind of a girl.” 

“ Oh, is n’t she ! ” replied Emma. “ What does 
she ask him down there every evening for? 
Mamma says she would n’t want me to invite him 
to my house so much.” 

“ He goes there to practice,” said Harry hotly. 

“ That duet needed lots of rehearsing,” laughed 
Emma. “ I don’t believe he likes Nan any better 
than he does the other girls, but we don’t run after 
him as she does. See how J. Murry watches Ella. 
He is in love with her ; every one says so.” 


THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL. 


241 


Harry tried to turn a deaf ear to Emma’s gossip, 
but she could not escape it until it was time for 
that young lady to read, when she quietly changed 
her seat. 

When the program was finished the company 
broke up in little groups, and Ella rescued poor 
Joe. 

“ Come into the library,” said she ; “ we are go- 
ing to play games.” 

In the library. Nan and Clifford were preparing 
for a game of parlor croquet, and J oe forgot his 
bashfulness as he and Ella joined them. When 
one game was finished Nan found a checkerboard, 
and she and Joe sat down to a sharply contested 
game ; and with Nan for an opponent at his favorite 
pursuit of checkers, Joe’s opinion of socials under- 
went a change. 

Harry, in the meanwhile, was not enjoying her- 
self. The feeling of jealousy still rankled, and 
instead of joining the others in the library, as she 
longed to do with all her heart, she went into the 
dining room, where a game of bean bags was 
arranged. 

Harry was good at bean bags, for she could 
throw her bag with as true an aim as a boy, and 


242 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS, 


she soon counted up to the number chosen, leaving 
the others far behind ; but it was too easy a vic- 
tory for Harry to enjoy it, and they were just 
throwing down the bags, when Clifford appeared 
on the scene. 

“ Bean bags ! ” he exclaimed. “ Put the number 
up to five hundred, and have a game,” and he threw 
a bag through the hole in a way that showed 
Harry she had found her match. 

The interest revived, and, with Harry captain of 
one side and Clifford of the other, they had some 
spirited games, which drew the others round the 
door to watch them. 

“How hard they are working,” said John, as 
Harry stood with flushed cheeks throwing the 
bags with true aim and calling out the numbers 
in a triumphant voice. 

Bertha had a novel experience that evening. 
She was not one of those girls who receive compli- 
ments wherever they go, and those paid to her 
filled her with pleasure. They were from the girls, 
who frankly expressed their opinion on the change 
in her appearance. 

“You look awfully pretty,” Emma Baker had 
said. “ Bangs are very becoming.” 


THE ENDEAVOR SOCIAL. 


243 


Nan’s pleased her better, however : “We have 
just been saying how nice every one looks to-night,” 
said she, “and I have heard many admire your 
hair.” 

Bertha had never heard her hair admired before, 
and it pleased her to think that the girls thought 
it was pretty. Whatever the social was to others, 
it was an evening of enjoyment to Bertha, and 
one that she never forgot. 


244 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 


CHAPTER XVII. 

LENDING A HAND. 

“ Come, Bird, hurry up ; we can’t wait all night ! ” 

“Yes, in a minute,” called back Bertha from 
above ; “ I ’m coming right away.” 

“ So are Christmas and Fourth of July. Any 
time will do.” 

“ Don’t hurry her, Harry,” said Ella. “ She has 
been just as busy as she could be all the after- 
noon.” 

“ Bird would stop and put her necktie on just 
so if the house was burning down,” grumbled 
Harry. “ She is a regular old maid.” 

“ No,” corrected Ella, “ she is a young maid. I 
shall not let you call Bertha old, for she and I are 
just of an age.” 

Ella was seated on the back seat of the double 
wagon, which stood before the door waiting for 
Bertha, who had not yet come downstairs. Harry 


LENDING A HAND. 


245 


had been calling her from the hall, while Clifford 
stood beside Bob White, stroking the nose of that 
patient steed, who never made the least objection 
to waiting. 

Bertha ran downstairs at last, drawing on her 
gloves, just as Joe came round from the back door 
with a large basket in each hand. 

“ I am sorry to have kept you waiting,” said 
Bertha, “ but it is all the fault of my hair. If you 
had not cut it off it would not take me so long to 
arrange it.” 

“ I ’ll forgive you,” said Ella, making room for 
her cousin on the seat beside her, “and so will 
everybody else.” 

“I ’ll lend a hand with those, Joseph,” said Clif- 
ford, seizing a basket. “ Cheese cakes ! Give 
Kezia my love, and tell her that I ’ll never forget 
her.” 

“There is a lemon pie in this one,” replied Joe. 
“ I wish I was going.” 

“ I hope it will be good,” said Bertha anxiously. 
“ I put the frosting on in such a hurry I ’m afraid 
it won’t be stiff enough.” 

“It does look rather flat,” said Joe, lifting the 
cover of the basket to inspect the pie. “ Better 


246 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


leave it at home ; we ’ll eat it if it is n’t first 
class.” 

“ I appreciate your offer, Joe,” said his sister, 
“ but will not impose on your generosity by making 
you dispose of the pie.” 

“ All aboard ! ” asked Clifford, taking up the 
reins. “ Good-by, auntie. You ’ll think of ’em 
while I ’m away ; won’t you ? ” 

Miss Moore came to the door to see them off. 

“Don’t sit on the ground, Ella,” she called 
after them, “and be sure you put your shawl on 
coming home.” 

Ella gayly promised to heed her aunt’s wishes, 
and they drove down the lane, leaving Joe and 
Miss Moore watching them from the front steps, 
while Kezia stood in the kitchen door gayly wav- 
ing her apron. 

From a scattered township, made up mostly of 
farms, had come the call : “ Come over and help 
us.” They had heard of the Christian Endeavor 
Society, and the success it had met with in Oak- 
land, and they, too, wanted to organize one, and 
see if it would not put new life into their little 
church. 

They had no minister, and only once in a while, 


LENDING A HAND. 


247 


when a state or county missionary came to them, 
or Mr. Smith or some other neighboring minister 
could spare time from his own duties to go and 
“ hold forth the word of life ” to them, did they 
open their little white church for any preach- 
ing service. They kept up a Sunday school and 
prayer meeting during the summer, but in the win- 
ter the people lived so far apart, and the roads 
were so filled up with snow, that they thought it 
impossible to keep up any religious meetings 
whatever. 

A girl from Marshlands, as the place was called, 
had been attending the Oakland high school when 
Ella started the Christian Endeavor movement 
there, and had become so interested that she had 
written to Harry, asking her if some of the Oak- 
land society would not come out and help them 
organize one. 

The day fixed upon was Saturday, always a 
busy time at the Whites’. Bertha and Kezia had 
cooked all the morning, for Harry and her friend 
had planned a picnic supper in a grove near the 
church, and several of the new society were 
invited to be present. 

They had been delayed about starting, and it 


248 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


was nearly five o’clock when they stopped to pick 
up John Murry. ^ Things had gone contrary all 
day, and the young housekeeper had been sorely 
tried. At the last minute callers had come, and 
Bertha, who had not had time to change her dress, 
had been obliged to receive them in her wrapper. 

“ Everybody knows and appreciates the great 
things which try men’s souls,” said she as they 
stopped at Mr. Murry’s gate, “but the world does 
not realize how many little things there are to try 
the patience of us poor women.” 

“But God does,” said Ella brightly. “He 
knows and sympathizes with every petty annoy- 
ance.” 

“ I know it,” replied Bertha. “ If it was n’t for 
that thought I could not get through with some 
of my days.” 

“ Do you feel hopeful of this new society ? ” 
asked John, turning round to the three girls from 
his seat beside Clifford. 

“Yes, indeed,” replied Ella decidedly. “From 
their letters I think they are very much in earnest.” 

“ I ’m afraid they will not be able to carry it 
on during the winter,” said Bertha thoughtfully. 

“Why not?” asked Ella. 


LENDING A HAND, 


249 


“ Because the men and boys all go logging, and 
spend the winter in the camps in the woods.” 

“ But the women and girls don’t,” said Ella, 
“and they can carry on a Christian Endeavor 
Society without the men and boys. They are not 
absolutely necessary.” 

“ Bertha appreciates us,” remarked Clifford, 
“ and knows nothing can be done without 
us.” 

“ No, I don’t. Cliff,” laughed Bertha. “ I know 
you are not necessary to the success of a Chris- 
tian Endeavor Society, though you are very nice 
to have sometimes ; but in Marshlands not only the 
men and boys go into the woods, but they take all 
the horses with them. The people live miles from 
the church and the roads drift so badly that they 
have to be shoveled out, so you see how almost 
impossible it will be to carry on a Christian 
Endeavor Society under those circumstances.” 

“ Is it possible ! ” exclaimed Ella. “ What do 
the poor women do, left behind in the snow- 
banks ? ” 

“Annie Marston says they den,” said Harry, 
“ like the bears.” 

“ Only think of it!” said Ella soberly. “No 


250 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 

church ! no society ! no circulating library ! How 
they must dread the winter ! ” 

“ I say, Ella,’’ said Clifford suddenly, “ how 
would it do to send down a box of books, some 
of the new publications ? They could circulate 
them round, you know.” 

“ That is a good idea, Clifford,” said John, look- 
ing at the boy admiringly. 

“Yes,” said Ella warmly; “that is just what 
we can do. We will select the books, and send 
them down about Christmas time.” 

Bertha sighed softly, and thought, as she often 
had that summer, how nice it must be to be sit- 
uated as her cousin was, and to be able to perform 
so many deeds of kindness. 

Harry was to pilot them to her friend’s house. 
She had been there once, and was sure that she 
knew the place ; but her bump of locality was not 
very good, and when they entered the township of 
Marshlands she could not tell which of the scatter- 
ing houses belonged to Mr. Marston. 

“ It had a front door on the side,” said she, look- 
ing about for a landmark. 

“Most of them have front doors,” remarked 
Clifford. 


LENDING A HAND. 


251 


“ You know what I mean,” said Harry with a 
pout. “This one had the door on the side instead 
of in the middle.” 

But as no such house appeared they drove on 
until they came to the church, where Annie 
Marston and a number of other girls were wait- 
ing for them. 

“We had almost given you up,” said Annie, 
advancing to the carriage. “ It was growing so 
late.” 

“Have we passed your house?” asked Harry 
eagerly. 

“ Yes ; it is the second one in town, you know.” 

“ I was n’t sure we were in town then,” Harry 
confessed, “ and so did n’t dare stop. It did have 
a front door on the side,” she added triumphantly. 
“ These are my cousins, Mr. and Miss Preston, 
Miss Marston.” 

“ I am very glad to meet you. Miss Marston,” 
said Ella, reaching down to shake hands, while 
Clifford raised his cap. “ I have heard a great 
deal of you from Harry.” 

“ My brother will take your horse,” said Annie. 
“We are going to have the picnic in this grove, 
so if you like you can get out here.” 


252 BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


Marshlands was a beautiful place in summer, 
whatever it might be in winter, and the guests 
were filled with admiration as they climbed up 
into the grove, lighted by the warm, low rays of 
the setting sun. 

They had a merry picnic supper, and then 
went into the little church, which was brightly 
lighted and prettily decked with flowers in honor 
of the occasion. Bertha was surprised to see 
the large number of earnest, wide-awake looking 
young people who came in and soon filled up 
the seats. 

“ They have a more hopeful beginning than we 
had,” she whispered to Ella. 

“ Yes,” her cousin replied, “ and Annie tells me 
that they mean to try and keep the meetings up all 
winter, in spite of the snow-banks and absence of 
men, boys, and horses.” 

John was chairman of the meeting, and soon a 
society, consisting of twelve active and as many 
more associate members, was organized. When the 
business was completed they had a brief praise and 
testimony meeting. 

Clifford had brought his cornet, and that, with 
the good cabinet organ which the little church pos- 


LENDING A HAND. 


253 


sessed, made the singing so inspiring that every one 
that could joined in. 

At the close the members of the new society 
gathered round the strangers, thanking them 
warmly for the help and advice they had given 
them, eagerly making promises with the Oakland 
young people to visit each other’s societies, and 
lend a hand whenever they could in the new work 
going on. It was some time before Clifford and 
John could get the girls out to where the wagon 
was waiting for them. 

But good-bys were said at length, and they started 
for home. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and 
Clifford let Bob White take his own jog, for no one 
was anxious to shorten the journey. 

“ There is the house with the front door,” re- 
marked Clifford as they passed Annie Marston’s 
home. 

“ Now, you need n’t make fun,” pouted Harry. 
“ You would n’t recognize the house if you did n’t 
see it again for six months.” 

“ It won’t be six months before Harry sees that 
house again,” prophesied John. “ I think we will 
exchange visits often, and that the new society will 
help us as much, and more, than we have helped 
them.” 


254 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“It has done me good already,” said Bertha 
soberly, “ they are so wide-awake and interested.” 

“ They have more members now than we have,” 
said Harry. 

“I know it,” sighed Bertha. “ It makes me feel 
discouraged.” 

“ Remember, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but 
by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts,’ ” quoted 
Ella. “Don’t go back to your bad habits, and 
become a doubting Thomas again, Bertha.” 

“No, I am going to try to ‘Look up and not 
down, forward and not back, and lend a hand’ 
wherever I can,” said she humbly. “ It does us so 
much good to lend a hand, I wonder why we don’t 
do it oftener ? ” 

“ I hope we will in the future,” said John. “ If 
we want our own society to grow we must reach 
out and help others.” 

A little pause followed his last words, and then 
Clifford said, “ Let us sing something.” 

Throw out the Life-line across the dark wave, 

There is a brother whom some one should save; 
Somebody’s brother! oh, who then will dare 
To throw out the Life-line, his peril to share ? 

sang Ella, and, one after the other, they took up 


LENDING A RAND. 


255 


the chorus, until their voices in perfect harmony 
rang out sweet and clear on the still night air. 

They sang all the way home, and once when they 
stopped to water the horse, the door of a house on 
the other side of the road softly opened, and a 
woman stood by it, listening to the sweet, tuneful 
voices singing the dear old song that will never 
wear out : — 

Way down upon the Suwanee River, 

Far, far away, 

There ’s where my heart is turning ever. 

There ’s where the old folks stay. 

Bob White had got all the water he wanted, but 
still stood there, nibbling the grass growing round 
the mossy old trough, for Clifford had seen the 
door open, and, rightly guessing that they were 
giving pleasure to some one, would not drive on 
until the song was finished. 

“ Well,” said Harry when the last note of “Suwa- 
nee River ” died away, and no one started another 
song, “ has Bob White gone to sleep ? ” 

“ No, indeed,” declared Clifford. “ He is listen- 
ing to the music. He is very fond of singing, 
especially good singing.” 


256 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“We won’t get home to-night if we linger this 
way,” said Ella. “We must drive on.” 

Clifford jumped into the wagon, and started Bob 
White out of the reverie into which he had fallen ; 
but for a long time none of the party ever heard 
the strains of “ Suwanee River ” without thinking 
of the song sung by the old watering trough. 


A NEW ACTIVE MEMBER. 


257 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

A NEW ACTIVE MEMBEE. 

School began the first of September. The 
long summer vacation was over, and the young 
people were obliged to go to work. 

“What shall we do when Ella and Clifford 
go away?” asked Bertha of John one Monday 
evening. 

“We shall miss them very much,” he replied, 
“ but perhaps some one will come forward to fill 
their place in the ranks.” 

“ There is no one here who can fill Ella’s place,” 
Bertha declared. 

“ I know it would be difficult,” he replied, glan- 
cing at Ella, who was talking with Lucy Nash, 
“Can’t you persuade her to stay?” he asked 
Bertha with a laugh. 

“ That would be impossible,” Bertha replied. 
“ Nothing would induce her to stay here.” 

“No one can blame her,” said Etta Stewart, 


258 BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ for who would stay here, if they could get 
away ? ” 

“ This is n’t the worst place in the world,” said 
John. “It ’s not so bad, if one makes the best 
of it.” 

“ I don’t know where you ’ll find a worse place,” 
said Miss Stewart with a laugh that was not al- 
together pleasant. 

“ I do not like to think so badly of my native 
town,” said Bertha, “ for I feel as though the peo- 
ple must be to blame for it.” 

“ They are,” Miss Stewart declared. “ If you 
had been away and seen how different things are 
in other places, you would realize what a dull 
old town this is.” 

Miss Stewart had been to Boston, and Bertha 
had not, so she did not have the courage to say 
more in defense of her native place; but John 
spoke up laughingly, — 

“ It is absurd to compare this place to a large 
town or city, but we stand very well beside villages 
of the same size.” 

“ I should think we did ! ” the young lady re- 
torted. “ Every one knows that this is the dull- 
est town in the State.” 


A NIJW ACTIVI! MEMBER. 


259 


“But there is no reason why we can’t have 
a flourishing Christian Endeavor Society,” he re- 
plied, “ and with God’s help we shall.” 

“ I hope so,” said Bertha with a sigh. 

“ You must n’t grow faint-hearted, Bertha,” said 
John cheerfully, “ because your cousin is going 
away. The Holy Spirit will not leave us.” 

“Ella Preston is not the main stay of this 
society,” spoke up Etta. “We can carry it on 
without her.” 

John and Bertha were prevented a reply by Ella 
herself, who came up with a radiant face. “ I have 
some one to take my place,” said she; “Lucy 
Nash is going to become an active member.” 

“ What has become of the doctrine of close com- 
munion and baptism ? ” laughed Etta. 

“ They never troubled Lucy,” said Ella gently. 
“She is a sweet, earnest girl, and I am so glad 
her mother has consented to her taking her place 
in the ranks.” 

“It will take two to fill your place, Ella,” said 
Bertha, looking fondly at her cousin. 

“ I think not,” said she merrily. “ It would be 
more than filled if Harry should become an active 
member too.” 


260 BEliTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“I have great hopes of Harry,” said John 
decidedly. 

“She ought to be an active member,” Etta 
declared. 

“ Still, I don’t know what we shall do without 
you, Ella,” said Bertha sadly. “ I can’t bear to 
think of your going away.” 

“Bertha refuses to be comforted,” laughed 
John. “ What inducement can we offer to per- 
suade you to stay. Miss Preston ? ” 

“ None,” said Ella. “ There is too strong a 
drawing in another direction.” 

The next afternoon Harry came home from 
school in a very sober frame of mind, while Joe, 
on the other hand, seemed in unusual good spirits, 
and chuckled and laughed as though he knew of 
some uncommonly good joke. 

After supper Harry sat down on the front steps, 
and, propping her chin up on both hands, gazed 
disconsolately at the toes of her boots. 

“I say, Harry,” said Clifford, joining her, 
“ let ’s get Bird and Ella, and have a game of 
Halma.” 

“ I don’t want to,” said Harry shortly. 

“What is the matter with you, Harry? ” asked 


A NUW ACTIVE MEMBER. 


261 


Clifford, sitting down on the lower step and look- 
ing up in her face. “You don’t seem exactly 
right in your mind.” 

“I am cross,” said Harry with a frown, “so 
you had better go down to Nan’s if you want 
any one to amuse you.” 

“ Thank you, but I had rather stay here, if you 
please.” 

“ I don’t care what you do,” said Harry shortly. 

“ What is the matter, Harry ? ” asked Clifford 
soberly. “ You have n’t got into some scrape at 
school, have you ? ” 

“ Yes, I have,” she admitted. 

“ I thought I knew the symptoms,” said Clif- 
ford. “ I am always getting into them.” 

“ So am I,” sighed Harry ; “ but I never seemed 
to care so much before.” 

“ Can’t you own up, and come out square ? ” 
Clifford suggested. “ Somehow I never feel so 
bad after I have made a clean breast of it.” 

“Oh, J. Murry knows all about it,” replied 
Harry, “and that ’s the worst of it.” 

“Tell me about it, Harry,” said Clifford. “I 
know how to sympathize with any one in a scrape.” 

“ When school began I resolved not to get into 


262 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


any scrapes this term,” said Harry mournfully, 
“and here I am in disgrace the very first week. 
It came so sudden, I did n’t think of my promise 
until it was too late.” 

“ That is always the way,” replied Clifford. 
“I never know I am mad until I ’m ready to 
knock somebody down.” 

“Belle and I went into the reading-room to 
get some notes for the literature class,” Harry 
continued. “We didn’t mean to play at all, and 
only whispered a little, and hardly laughed once, 
but the laboratory is over the reading-room, and 
Ned and Fred Parks had gone up there to try 
some experiments with the chemicals ; at least they 
pretended to be at work, but when they found we 
were in the reading-room they rigged a telegraph 
out of the window, and all the afternoon we sent 
poetry, notes, and pictures back and forth. Fred 
always has his pockets full of trash, and he sent 
down peanuts and candy, and some of the poetry 
was funny.” And she drew a handful of peanut 
shells and scraps of paper from her pocket. 

Clifford tried to look grave as he read some of 
the nonsense indited by the young gentlemen and 
dignified by the name of poetry, for he felt 


A NEW ACTIVE MEMBER. 


263 


the occasion demanded seriousness, and he said 
sob<^rly, — 

“ Did n’t Mr. Murry know what was going on ? ” 

“We thought he did n’t because he did n’t say 
anything, but after school he asked us to remain, 
and gave us a private lecture that broke me all 
up.” 

“ A fellow can stand most anything better than 
a private lecture,” said Clifford gravely, shaking 
his head. 

“He said he was disappointed in me,” said 
Harry dolefully, “ for he had expected great things 
of me this term. That is just it. Cliff ; I had made 
up my mind to become an active member, and now 
I can’t.” 

“ Why not ? ’ ’ demanded Clifford. 

“ Why, Cliff, how can I call myself a Christian 
when I act so ? Every one will say I am not 
fit.” 

“Christ won’t,” declared Clifford with a glad 
ring in his voice. “ He never says a person is not 
fit to come to him. He takes us just as we are.” 

“But people will talk,” said poor Harry. “I 
know J. Murry thought I was not fit to become an 
active member, though he did n’t say so.” 


264 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS . 


“ Now, Harry, J. Murry did n’t think any such 
thing,” said Clifford decidedly. “ You want Christ 
all the more because you are in danger of falling 
into temptation. If we were perfect we would not 
need a Saviour at all.” 

“ I thought when people became Christians they 
were always good.” 

“They are not, by any means,” said Clifford ear- 
nestly. “ Why, you know what a selfish, hot-tem- 
pered fellow I am ! ” 

“ O Cliff, if I was only as good as you are I 
would be happy,” said Harry with something like 
a sob. 

“ Christ is willing to give you as much as he has 
me, and here is his own word for it,” and taking 
out his pocket Bible he read by the light that 
streamed out from the hall behind them, “ ‘ As 
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even 
so must the Son of man be lifted up : that who- 
soever believeth in him should not perish, hut have 
eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he 
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believ- 
eth in him should not perish, but have everlasting 
life.’ ” 

“ You see, Harry,” he added, “ that ‘ whosoever ’ 


A NEW ACTIVE MEMBER. 


265 


includes every one. He does n’t say the good and 
the perfect, but every one, no matter how sinful. 
We shall always be sinful till we come to Christ, 
for he is the only one who can take away our 
sin.” 

“ I did n’t know what it meant to be a Christian 
till this summer,” said Harry thoughtfully. “ I 
supposed one had to go through what they called 
an experience.” 

“ All the experience I know is to say that I will 
accept Christ for my Saviour,” said Clifford ear- 
nestly. “We don’t really know anything about 
Christ till we take the first step ; then he reveals 
himself to us. Alan Thorn says that being a 
Christian is n’t living a life of perfect goodness, 
but it is becoming as a little child, and growing up 
in the Father’s likeness. We have to begin at the 
beginning, down at the little humble place at 
Jesus’ feet, and wait for his call to come up higher. 
O Harry, won’t you make this beginning ? ” 

“Yes, Cliff, I will,” said Harry in a tone of 
deep feeling that meant a great deal. 

Clifford joyfully seized her hand with a warm 
clasp that made her think of the right hand of 
fellowship; and the ear of her soul caught the 


266 


BERTHA'^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


echo of the angels as they rejoiced over the lost 
one who had been brought back to the Father’s 
house. 

The next afternoon, on their return from 
school, Harry and Joe found a little group out 
under the apple trees. Bertha was sewing, Ella 
reading aloud, and Clifford, apparently in a state 
of exhaustion, was fanning himself with his straw 
hat. 

“ A letter for me, I know,” said Ella, holding 
out her hand. “Please don’t tease me, Joe.” 

“I got the mail myself,” said Harry, taking the 
letter out of lier school bag. 

Ella tore it open eagerly, read a few words, 
then exclaiming, “ O Cliff ! he ’s through at last ! 
Tell them all about it.” She left her seat, and ran 
upstairs to her own room. 

“ What is it ? ” asked Bertha in surprise. 

“ Did n’t know but what that letter was charged 
with dynamite by the way she ran,” observed Joe. 

“ What did she say you were to tell us about. 
Cliff?” asked Harry. 

“Nothing of any consequence,” he replied. 
“ Alan has got through all right, I suppose.” 


A Ni;w ACTIVE MEMBER. 267 

“ Who is this Alan you have so much to say 
about ? ” demanded Harry. 

“The minister ’s coming, mamma, mamma! 

The minister ’s coming, ha, ha, mamma! 

The minister ’s coming. 

And you can tell pa. 

For I cannot help it, now can I, mamma? ” 
hummed Clifford. 

“ Now, don’t be provoking,” coaxed Harry, “ but 
tell us what Ella said you might.” 

“ Nothing but girls’ secrets,” said Joe, with his 
nose in the air. “Not worth telling.” 

“ Cliff has got to tell,” declared Harry. “ You 
need n’t sit there looking so provoking.” 

“ Clifford,” said Bertha solemnly, “ is Ella en- 
gaged ? ” 

“I suppose she referred to the wedding,” he 
replied. 

“ Whose wedding ? — yours ? ” asked Harry sar- 
castically. 

“Don’t you wish it was?” he replied with a 
saucy wink. “ No ; I ’m only chief mourner, and, 
as the staff and support of the family, will have 
to give her away.” 


268 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ Clifford ! ” said Bertha with a gasp, “ is Ella 
going to be married ? ” 

“ When ? and whom to ? ” cried Harry excitedly. 
“Mean thing not to tell us a word about it! We 
won’t give her a bit of a wedding present.” 

“ It won’t be till spring,” said Clifford. “ You 
are all coming up, and Joe will be best man.” 

“ J. Murry will be chief mourner,” chuckled Joe. 

“ Bird’s face is long enough now for that,” 
laughed Clifford. “ Kezia would say she was 
‘ dumfounded.’ ” 

“ Why did n’t she tell us ? ” said Bertha. “ I 
never dreamed of anything of the kind.” 

“ Oh, she and Alan are odd sticks,” replied Clif- 
ford. “When I ’m engaged you shall know all 
about it, — howl pop the question and everything.” 

“ Alan ! ” cried Harry. “ Is he the one ? ” 

“ She ’s engaged to Alan Thorn.” 

“ But he is an old man.” 

“ About twenty-six, or seven.” 

“ But he ’s a minister.” 

“ Going to be some time. He ’s only half a one 
now. He ’s been spending the summer at Five 
Points, New York.” 

“ Why did n’t he come here ? ” asked Harry. 


A NEW ACTIVE MEMBER. 


269 


“ It would n’t be Alan to do that,” said Clifford 
with sparkling eyes. “ He has spent his vacation 
working among the wretches at Five Points, and 
sent whole carloads of children for a breath of 
pure air down to a farm that a band of King’s 
Daughters own.” 

“ Is n’t he splendid ! ” cried Harry. “ I should 
have thought Ella would have wanted us to know 
about him.” 

“ She has worried all summer for fear he would 
get the smallpox, or some other dreadful disease, 
and that is why we packed her off down here, 
to divert her mind by seeing new places and 
people.” 

“ He has left that place now ? ” asked Harry 
eagerly. 

“ Yes ; and we must go and meet him in Boston. 
There will be time for a jolly week at our cottage 
at the Neck before school begins.” 

“Oh, dear, you are going away,” said Harry 
with a long face. 

“Here, Joe, lend Harry your bandanna,” said 
Clifford, “ so we can sit down and weep together.” 

“ I don’t believe you care a bit,” pouted Harry. 

“ Of course he don’t,” declared Joe, “ and who 


270 BERTUA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

blames him? Wish I could leave this dull old 
hole.” 

“ Don’t I just hate to say good-by ! ” said Clif- 
ford. “ I have had a jolly good time, and I ’m 
coming again next summer.” 

‘•I don’t believe you will,” Harry replied. 
“ You will have to go to your cottage at the 
Neck, or else take a walking trip through the 
White Mountains. You will never come down 
here again, or see any of us.” 

“Nonsense!” retorted Clifford. “You are 
all coming up to the wedding, and I ’ll take you 
round and show you the sights.” 

“ You won’t, for you know we can’t afford to 
go to Boston.” 

“ Will you snap my head off if I say I am com- 
ing down here? ” asked Clifford meekly. “ I tell 
you what! I’ll come down to your graduation. 
What fine young ladies you and Nan will be then ! 
And Joe will be a great swell in a swallowtail 
coat and kid gloves. I shall be a Harvard man. 
What great creatures we shall be ! ”' 

“ You can make a note of it,” said Harry, 
watching him write the date in his notebook, 
“but I don’t believe you will come.” 


A NEW ACTIVE MEMBEB. 


271 


But I will,” he declared, “ and will throw a 
bouquet as big as my head at the valedictorian. 
I wonder if it will be you or Nan? ” 

“ Nan, probably,” Harry replied. 

“ Then you will be prophetess,” Clifford contin- 
ued, “and Joe will deliver the Latin salutatory 
in dress coat and white kids.” 

“I shall be on a cattle ranch by that time,” 
declared that young man. “I ’m not going to 
spend my time digging at Greek and Latin.” 

Bertha, meanwhile, had gone upstairs, and tap- 
ped softly at her cousin’s door. Ella opened it, 
her eyelashes still wet. 

“ Why did n’t you tell me before, Ella ? ” asked 
Bertha reproachfully. 

“ I could n’t,” said she. “ But now he is com- 
ing home well and strong, and t am so happy ! ” 

For once Bertha forgot all about the supper as 
she sat and talked with Ella about her lover, until 
Kezia rang the bell, and, going downstairs, she 
found them all at the table. 


272 BEBTKA'S BUMMER BOARDERS, 


CHAPTER XIX. 

THE CONSECEATION MEETING. 

As soon as the boarders left, Kezia packed her 
little black trunk and went home, leaving Bertha 
to pick up the fall work with a will, determined 
not to moan because life brought her so little 
enjoyment. 

“ So your cousin is engaged to a minister,” said 
Etta Stewart as Bertha entered the vestry the 
first Monday evening after Ella and Clifford’s 
departure. 

“Yes,” said Bertha, glancing at John, who was 
trying to make one of the dim lamps burn better, 
and thinking of the young people’s jokes about 
him and Ella. He did not appear like a dejected 
lover as he worked the wick up and down in a 
most unromantic manner. 

“ She ought not to have kept her engagement a 
secret,” Etta was saying. “It ’s the fashion to 
announce them.” 


THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 273 

“Ella did not care to, as we were all strangers,” 
Bertha replied. 

“I should have thought she would have told 
you,” said Etta. “ I never was more astonished 
in my life.” 

“Now, I was not at all surprised,” said John, 
coming up wiping his fingers on his handkerchief. 

“Why not?” demanded Etta, while Bertha re- 
garded him curiously. 

“ Straws show which way the wind blows^” he 
replied. “ I thought Miss Preston was especially 
interested in some one all summer.” 

“ You were more observing than most people,” 
said Etta. “ Even her cousin did n’t suspect it.” 

He only laughed as a flock of girls came in with 
hjmmbooks and Bibles in their hands ; but Bertha 
felt vastly relieved, for she knew now that John 
could not have lost his heart to her cousin. 

The young people missed both Clifford and Ella 
in their meetings, especially about the singing ; for 
though Nan played the organ she could not start 
a familiar hymn as Ella had. Once, during a long 
pause, Bertha found courage to do it ; but she had 
no confidence in herself, and what was so easy for 
her cousin was very hard for her. 


274 


BERTHA'^ SUMMER BOARDERS. 


The members grew discouraged as night after 
night the meetings grew worse, and they began to 
fear that their spirit and power had departed with 
the two most active members. 

“We have so few active members,” said Bertha 
one day, when the Prayer-meeting Committee, 
consisting of herself, Emma Baker, and Etta Stew- 
art, was meeting with the latter, “ and I ’m afraid 
we won’t have any more unless our meetings are 
better. Fewer come into them every night.” 

“ The active members don’t do their part,” Etta 
declared. “ They must do something besides re- 
peat a Bible verse if they want to make the meet- 
ings more interesting.” 

Now, as that was all the young lady herself ever 
did, Bertha did not know what reply to make, but 
looked into the open fire with a troubled face. 

“ What else can we do ? ” asked Emma. “ I can’t 
talk out of my head.” 

“ Neither can I,” said Etta. “ My thoughts and 
feelings are too sacred to express in public as some 
do.” 

“ Do you think so,” asked Bertha, “ at a meet- 
ing where we meet to talk about Christ ? ’ ’ 

“I cannot speak of my inmost feelings any- 


THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 21b 

where,” declared Etta. “ The more I feel the less 
I can say.” 

“ That ’s the way with me,” said Emma eagerly, 
gladly justifying her conscience by agreeing with 
some one older. 

“Then I think we have too much singing,” Etta 
continued. “ It looks as though we were working 
hard to make the meeting.” 

Bertha felt guilty at this statement, for she had 
started several hymns the Monday night before. 

“ Who will lead next Monday? ” asked Emma. 

“It is consecration meeting,” replied Etta, “so 
I suppose John will lead ; he always does, but I 
don’t think he takes half the interest in the soci- 
ety that he ought to ; if he did he would get more 
of the boys to join.” 

“He can’t compel them if they don’t want to,” 
replied Bertha. “ He has asked them, I know.” 

“ He is n’t as much interested as he ought to 
be,” Etta repeated. “He is down to the school- 
house now ; let us go and give him a talking 
to.” 

Bertha did not think it necessary to give John 
a talking to, but she rose and buttoned her jacket. 
Emma excused herself on the plea that she must 


276 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

go home and help her mother, and the other two 
started for the academy. 

It was a raw, gray day, with a sharp, chill wind 
blowing from the east. Before they reached the 
high school building they met the master hurrying 
along, his coat collar turned up to his ears. 

“ This is the day the Prayer Meeting Committee 
meets,” said he, pausing. “ Whom are you in 
search of to-day ? ” 

“ Go ahead, Bertha,” ordered Etta. “ You are 
chairman.” 

“Will you lead the consecration meeting next 
Monday evening?” asked Bertha. 

“ My turn comes pretty often, seems to me,” 
said he, showing his white teeth in a smile. 

“ Only once a month,” spoke up Etta. “ That 
is no oftener than the president ought to lead.” 

“ Of course I will,” he replied. “ But, girls, 
are you satisfied with the meetings ? ” 

“ Of course we are not,” replied Etta. “We 
must do something to make them more interest- 
ing.” 

“ I ’ll tell you what I think,” said John, stand- 
ing back to the wind. “We do not have prayers 
enough.” 


THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 277 

“We have a prayer every night/’ said Etta. 
“ What more do you want ? ” 

“ The leaders ask Mr. Smith to lead in prayer,” 
he replied earnestly, “ and it becomes a mere form. 
I think every one of us ought to pray from our 
hearts for just what we feel that we need.” 

“ Ella said they have sentence prayers,” said 
Bertha suddenly. “ The leader says a few words, 
and one after the other takes up the petition.” 

“ That is what we need in our meetings,” said 
John, “and why can’t we have it? Our service 
now is that of the lips. Let us see if we can’t 
make it that of the heart.” 

“ None of the girls will make a prayer, I know,” 
declared Etta. 

“ I will next Monday night,” said Bertha, “ and 
won’t you? We are the two oldest members and 
ought to set the example.” 

“ I could n’t make a prayer in public to save 
me,” said Etta decidedly. 

“ ‘ I can do all things through Christ which 
strengtheneth me,’ ” said John gravely. 

“ It ’s very well for one like Paul to say that,” 
Etta replied, “but I can’t.” 

“ Christ will give us the same grace he gave 
Paul,” said John, “ if we ask for it.” 


278 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 

“ But I can’t pray in public,” she repeated, “ and 
it is no use talking about it. None of the other 
girls will either.” 

“ How would it do to have our consecration 
meeting confined to the members?” asked John. 
“We would feel more freedom, and perhaps gain 
more strength.” 

“ I wish we could,” said Bertha earnestly. 

“ Whoever heard of such a thing ! ” exclaimed 
Etta. “The constitution says nothing of the 
kind,” and she produced the copy which she 
always had ^ ready to confront the members with 
on every occasion. 

“Is that as binding as the laws of the Medes 
and Persians ?” asked John impatiently. “Can’t 
we amend it for our local society ? ” 

“ But who ever heard of turning people out of a 
religious meeting ! ” Etta exclaimed. 

“Our monthly church meetings are private,” 
Bertha suggested. 

“ That is altogether different,” replied Etta. 
“We, as a Christian Endeavor Society, have no 
right to shut ourselves up, and say that only cer- 
tain ones have a right to come to the meetings.” 

“It is only once a month,” replied John, “and 


THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 


279 


any one that wants to can gain admittance by 
joining.” 

“ Oh, you ’re a Mason,” laughed Etta, “ and think 
every society ought to have secret meetings?’ 

“ Well, it is too cold to stand here and argue 
about it,” said John. “ Bertha looks as though 
she was nearly frozen.” 

Etta Stewart was a persistent young lady, and 
though all the members, except Emma Baker, 
agreed with John in regard to the consecration 
meeting, Etta, backed by the constitution, had 
her own way, even against the president and 
Mr. Smith, who agreed that more of the Holy 
Spirit was needed in the meetings, and that the 
work must begin in the hearts of the members 
first. 

The consecration meeting was held as usual. 
Mr. Smith and John offered prayer, and the mem- 
bers answered to their names by a verse of Scrip- 
ture. There was less singing than usual, for 
Bertha did not have the courage to start a hymn 
after what Etta had said. 

At the close John asked the members to remain, 
and when they were alone he introduced the 
subject he had discussed with Bertha and Etta, 


280 


BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


and plainly stated what he thought they needed 
to make their society one of real Christian en- 
deavor. 

They listened with serious faces, for they were 
in earnest, and had entered into the work with the 
sincerest of motives. At the close Etta expressed 
her views to Bertha in an undertone, to the effect 
that John Murry need n’t dictate, if he was presi- 
dent, but she received no reply. 

A day or two after, at a chance meeting, John 
said to Bertha, — 

“ If I were you, I would speak to the younger 
girls on the subject we were discussing the other 
day. It is n’t those who have just started in the 
Christian life who shrink from new duties.” 

Bertha assented with a wise smile, for she had 
just had a talk with Nan, Harry, and Lucy Nash, 
and was looking forward with renewed hope to 
the next Monday evening. 

“ Mr. Smith won’t be here to-morrow night,” 
Etta informed her Sunday. “We won’t have as 
good a meeting as usual.” 

“ Oh, I hope so,” said Bertha cheerfully, “ though 
we shall miss Mr. Smith, he helps so much.” 

“We have got to get some more active mem- 


THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 281 


bers,” Etta declared, “and those we have got 
must take more part.” 

“ There is work for the Lookout Committee,” 
said Bertha. “Each of us might take a certain 
one to pray for and do all we can to bring them to 
Christ.” 

“ John Murry might take more interest,” Etta 
replied. “ Instead of lecturing us he ought to try 
and get some of his scholars to join. He ought to 
know that half a dozen could n’t make a meeting.” 

Miss Stewart always laid the blame and respon- 
sibility on some one else. Although she was 
chairman of the Lookout Committee, it was John 
Murry’s duty and not hers to try and win those 
who were out of Christ to accept him. 

It did Bertha good after she left Etta to meet 
Nan and feel the warm clasp of her hand as she 
whispered, — 

“We must all pray for the meeting to-morrow 
night, for Mr. Smith won’t be with us.” 

John was right. It was not the young Chris- 
tians who shrank from the new duties. Bertha 
knew that she had grown cold, and had forgotten 
the love and zeal with which she had first pledged 
herself to Christ’s service, and Nan and Harry had 


282 


BEBTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


both helped her, and she felt better and stronger 
for their companionship. 

Earnest prayers were offered for the meeting, 
and Bertha went to the vestry the next evening 
full of hope. 

“ Why, it is n’t lighted ! ” exclaimed Harry, as 
they came in sight of the building. 

Some dark figures came out of the shadows. 
One of them was Lucy Nash, her arms full of 
books, for she and Nan were to lead. 

“ I have been waiting here some time,” said she, 
“ but no one has come to light up.” 

“You must be nearly frozen,” said Harry. 
“ Why did n’t you hunt up the boy and make 
him light up ? ” 

“ I did n’t like to do that,” Lucy replied. 

“ Well, I will,” declared Harry. 

The boy who was hired to take care of the room 
lived in the next house, and here Harry presented 
herself and demanded the reason why the vestry was 
not warmed and lighted as usual. The boy was 
not at home, but his mother excused him by say- 
ing that he had not heard the notice given the 
day before, and thought as Mr. Smith was away 
there would not be any meeting. Harry left her 


THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 


283 


in righteous indignation, and returned to the 
girls. 

“ To think we would n’t have a meeting because 
Mr. Smith is away!” she scolded. “Next week 
we ’ll have the notice given in the Sunday-school 
and evening meeting both.” 

“ And put it up in the post office besides,” 
added Nan. 

“I suppose we will have to give up the meet- 
ing,” said Bertha, turning away sadly disappointed. 

“ I suppose so,” said Harry dolefully. 

“ Why can’t we light up ? ” asked a new voice. 

It was one of the associate members that spoke. 
She and her friend had listened to all that had 
been said, but had not ventured a suggestion be- 
fore, for between them and the others there was 
a gulf, they being known in country parlance as 
“ hired girls ; ” that is, they did the work in some 
lady’s kitchen. 

“We could n’t make the fire,” Harry replied, 
“ and it is so cold it would take the room an hour 
to get warm.” 

“ Here is a girl who can make a good hot fire 
in no time,” said the first speaker, indicating her 
companion. 


284 


BERTHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ Let US do it,” said Bertha, who felt that she 
could not lose that meeting, she had prayed for it 
so earnestly. 

“All right; I ’ll go and get the key,” said 
Harry, starting off again. 

“ It is so cold,” said Nan doubtfully. 

“ Why, it is warmer outdoors than it is here,” 
she added, as Harry unlocked the door. 

It was certainly a cheerless prospect ; but after 
stumbling about a while in the dark, Harry got one 
lamp lighted, and the two associate members at- 
tacked the stove. Bertha stripped off pieces of 
birch bark, while Nan and Harry finished lighting 
the lamps. 

“We can not have a meeting,” Nan declared. 
“It is n’t prudent to stay here.” 

“ If there was only something besides this large 
wood,” said the girl who had undertaken to build 
the fire, down on her knees before the stove. 

Bertha started to find some kindling, but when 
she reached the entry she encountered a crowd 
of boys, who, on learning what was wanted, took 
out their jackknives and went to work with a 
will. 

“ What is going on here ? ” demanded John, 


THE CONSECRATION MEETING. 285 

stopping short in surprise at the sight of Bertha 
fishing sticks out of the woodbox. 

She eagerly explained, rubbing her numb fingers, 
which were purple with cold. 

“ I know where there are some dry kindlings,” 
and dropping hymnbook and Bible he disappeared, 
and from some unknown source returned with an 
armful of light, dry wood, which he stuffed into 
the stove and made a glorious blaze. 

“ How cold it is here ! ” exclaimed Etta Stewart 
as she came in. “ Why is n’t this room warmer ? ” 

Bertha again explained. 

“That ’s pretty works!” she replied. “We 
can’t have a meeting here.” 

“ Yes, we can,” John declared. “It is growing 
warmer every minute ; we can draw the seats round 
the fire, and not go into the back part of the room.” 

With the boys’ help he formed the seats in a 
semicircle round the red covered stand, which he 
placed before the stove, and the girls soon filled 
them. As soon as the fire was burning the two 
associate members who had made the first move 
seated themselves apart from the others, but Bertha 
beckoned them with a smile, and at last they came 
into a seat with her. 


286 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


“ Harry,” she whispered, “ Nan can’t play be- 
cause the organ keys are so cold, so you must 
start some of the hymns.” 

Harry nodded, and Bertha’s heart filled with 
gratitude for this sister who was so ready to help 
in every way. 

None of them ever forgot that meeting, or the 
brief, earnest prayers which followed Nan’s first 
petition. Bertha, Harry, and Lucy for the first 
time, in a few heartfelt words, made an audible 
prayer, that God would bless their meeting ; and 
in the pause which followed, while they still sat 
with bowed heads, Harry’s clear, sweet voice started 
the hymn of which they all were so fond : — 

“ At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light, 
And the burden of my heart rolled away ! ” 

At the close of the meeting John and Bertha 
shook hands with smiling eyes and lips. It was 
the way these young Christian Endeavorers ex- 
pressed their feelings, and they knew by the silent 
pressure of the hand what the meeting had been 
to each other. 


THE ENDEAVOR CONVENTION. 


287 


CHAPTER XX. 

THE ENDEAVOR CONVENTION. 

From that night the meetings improved, and 
during the winter the society enjoyed an especial 
season of help, an account of which reached Ella 
and Clifford, for their cousins kept them informed 
of everything relating to the Endeavor Society. 

The middle of January the pastor of the large 
• church in the adjoining town invited the neigh- 
boring societies to meet with them, and form a 
local union. It had been good sleighing, but the 
day before the convention met a heavy rainstorm 
took off all the snow, and left nothing but a sheet 
of ice. 

“ Do you think we will be able to go?” asked 
Bertha, as they gathered at the vestry in the 
evening. 

“ Don’t you say a word,” ordered Harry. “ It 
has cleared off finely, and of course we are going.” 


288 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS, 

“ But the traveling is dreadful,” said Etta. 
“The roads are a sheet of ice.” 

“ But it is only four miles,” said Harry. “We 
can go ; can’t we, Mr. Murry ? ” 

“Suppose we get stuck on bare ground?” sug- 
gested John. 

“We would throw out the cargo,” declared 
Harry. “ You must say we can go, or else we ’ll 
start and walk.” 

“ Of course we will,” cried Nan. “ Harry 
White, you and I will get there if we have to fly ! ” 

The next day was clear and cold. The ice 
glittered like silver in the sunlight, as a large, 
three-seated sleigh, drawn by a span of black 
horses, with shining harness and arch of silver 
bells, dashed up the lane, and came to a stand 
before the Whites’ door. 

“Here are a couple of dummies,” said Joe, as 
Harry and Bertha came out, all wrapped up in 
shawls. “ Where are you going to put them, Mr. 
Murry?” 

The horses shook their heads impatiently as 
John got down from the driver’s seat, and Emma 
Baker screamed for Joe to stand at their heads, 
lest they should start to run. 


THE ENDEAVOJR CONVENTION. 


289 


“ What a Mother Bunch you are, Harry ! ” she 
called out. “ Don’t you want another shawl? ” 

‘‘You ’ll freeze without any,” Harry retorted. 
“ Can we go on the front seat, Mr. Murry ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed,” he replied. “ Up with you.” 

“ Take her up tenderly, 

Handle with care, 

Fashioned so slenderly. 

Young, and so fair!” 

quoted Nan merrily, as Bertha and Harry, so 
wrapped up that they could hardly turn their 
heads, took their places with John on the front 
seat. 

“ It will be dreadful going down hill,” said Etta 
Stewart. “ I don’t believe they will expect us, it ’s 
such bad traveling.” 

“I don’t believe any of the other towns will 
have handsomer turnouts,” said Harry with just 
pride in the handsome horses, who arched their 
graceful necks as they went slowly down the hill, 
guided by John’s careful hand. 

The four miles were quickly gone over, and the 
girls left the sleigh and went into the large roomy 
vestry underneath the church. They were the 


290 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


first arrivals, and, though the room was warm, it 
was empty, except for one young man and a boy 
who did not know what to do with the bevy of 
girls who flocked in upon them. The boy retired 
bashfully to the window, and regarded them out 
of the corner of his eye ; and, after placing chairs 
for them near the fire, the young man modestly 
stepped one side. 

“ Oh, dear,” said Emma, as they took off their 
wraps, “just see how the wind has blown my 
hair about my ears ! ” 

“ You ought to have wrapped up more,” said 
Harry triumphantly, “ and then the wind could n’t 
have got at your hair.” 

“ I think I should feel better if I could look in 
a glass,” remarked Nan. 

With an amused smile the young man offered 
to find them one, and, following him through the 
vestry, they came to a church parlor and kitchen, 
where they gathered merrily round the looking- 
glass. 

“ How nice everything is ! ” said Bertha to Etta, 
as they stood one side, waiting for the younger 
girls to get through with the glass. 

“They have got some life over here,” Etta 
replied, “ and try to do something.” 


THE ENDEAVOR CONVENTION. 


291 


“They have a larger and richer society than 
we have,” replied Bertha, “ and of course can do 
more.” 

“ They don’t care over home whether the church 
looks decent or not,” declared Etta. “ But I don’t 
think they have given us a very warm welcome.” 

“I ’m sure the rooms are warm enough,” 
laughed Bertha. 

“ But why is n’t there some one here to receive 
us besides that fellow, who does n’t know what to 
do and is scared half out of his wits ? ” 

“ I don’t think he is very much scared,” replied 
Bertha. “ Probably they did not expect us so soon ; 
you know our time is always faster than theirs. 
Have you girls got through with the glass at 
last?” 

“ You can have it now,” said Emma graciously. 
“It is beauty before age to-day.” 

“ I don’t know as I dare look in,” said Bertha 
merrily. “ Do I look very bad, girls ? ” 

“Yes ; you look dreadfully,” said Nan, at which 
the others laughed, for Bertha was one of those 
girls who are always in order, and she was looking 
very pretty that afternoon. 

The others now began to arrive, and Mr. Smith 


292 


BERTHA^ S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


introduced his young people to his brother min- 
ister, Mr. Fenton, and his lovely young wife, 
with whom the girls fell in love at once. 

“ I ’m breaking the tenth commandment all to 
pieces,” whispered Harry to Nan, “ for I do envy 
these people their minister’s wife.” 

“ Yes,” replied Nan ; “ and their vestry and 
church parlor too. I wish we had things as nice.” 

A young lady with a hymnbook in her hand 
sat down before the piano, and the convention was 
opened by singing. The afternoon was devoted 
to business, for a local union was regularly or- 
ganized ; and while they were counting the votes 
for the last time, Mr. Fenton left the president’s 
chair, and, coming to where Bertha was sitting, 
said in a low tone, — 

“We want one of your society to lead the praise 
service to-night. Miss White, and you have been 
recommended as the one to do it.” 

“ I ! ” exclaimed Bertha with a little gasp. 

“ Yes,” said the gentleman, smiling. “ It will 
be twenty minutes long, and I will leave you to 
select the hymns.” 

“ But,” said Bertha hastily, “ I think Mr. Murry 
had better lead ; he is our president.” 


TUB ENDEAVOR CONVENTION. 


293 


“ I know,” Mr. Fenton replied, “ but it is a pleas- 
ant sight to see a young lady in the desk, so I hope 
that you will not disappoint us.” 

“ But I have never led alone,” said Bertha. “ In 
our society we have two leaders.” 

“ That is better still,” said Mr. Fenton promptly. 
“ Suppose you ask one of the young ladies to lead 
with you to-night;” and, taking her consent for 
granted, he bowed and turned away. 

“ You are in for it now. Bird,” whispered Nan 
gleefully. “Was n’t it nice of him to honor our 
society ? ” 

“You would n’t think so if he had asked you,” 
Bertha replied. “ Etta, you will lead with me, 
won’t you ? ” 

“ Indeed I won’t,” that young lady declared. 
“ I was n’t recommended to him.” 

“ He did n’t think of but one,” said Bertha 
eagerly, “ and does n’t know any of us.” 

“But Mr. Smith and John do,” she replied. 
“ They did n’t recommend me, so I am not called 
upon to lead.” 

Bertha said no more ; but she felt very uncom- 
fortable, and wished she could excuse herself from 
the duty, but saw no way to do so, for Mr. Fenton 


294 BERTHA^ S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

was busy counting votes, and she could not speak 
to him. 

“ Is n’t she mean ? ” whispered Harry. “ What 
of it if they did suggest you.” 

“ Harry,” said her sister, “ you have got to lead 
with me to-night.” 

“ Oh, my ! ” exclaimed Harry in dismay, but 
Bertha silenced her with a “hush” as Mr Fenton 
rose to declare the vote. 

At the close of the meeting the strangers were 
requested to step to the desk, where a card bearing 
the lady’s name who would entertain them would 
be handed to each of them, and Harry went to get 
one for herself and Bertha, while her sister sat 
down in the corner to select the hymns for the 
evening praise service. 

“ What are you doing? ” asked John, joining her. 

“ John Murry ! ” said she, looking up, “ did you 
tell Mr. Fenton to ask me to lead the meeting 
to-night ? ” 

“ It ’s the first time I have heard that you were 
asked to lead,” said John, smiling a little, for she 
had never greeted him in just that way before. 

“ Then it must have been Mr. Smith,” said she. 

“ What makes you think it was any one ? ” 


THE ENDEAVOR CONVENTION. 295 

“Mr. Fenton does n’t know me; besides, he 
said some one recommended me, so it must have 
been Mr. Smith.” 

“Here he comes now; you can ask him,” said 
John, as the minister joined them with the in- 
quiry:— 

“ Have you got a card, Bertha ? ” 

“Harry has one for me,” she replied. “We are 
going together.” 

“ Have you a program ? There is to be a praise 
meeting this evening ; I don’t know who will lead 
it, for Brother Fenton makes all the arrange- 
ments.” 

John gave Bertha a roguish glance as Mr. Smith 
adjusted his eyeglasses to read the rest of the pro- 
gram, and she felt vastly relieved to learn that 
neither John nor her pastor was guilty of recom- 
mending her to Mr. Fenton, and only wished that 
Etta had been there to hear what had been said on 
the subject. 

“ It ’s a deep mystery,” said John as they left 
the vestry together. “You must have an admirer 
here, Bertha ; I wonder who it is.” 

That evening the vestry filled rapidly; and, when 
they entered, Bertha and Harry lingered near the 


296 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


large furnace to speak to Mr. Fenton, who was 
acting as usher. 

“ Don’t you think,” said the young man who had 
received them, “ that the different societies ought 
to mix up more ? ” 

“Yes,” replied Harry; “we are so weak that avc 
need each other’s support.” 

“ I had a letter from the Marshlands society,” 
said the young man suddenly. “ You are two of the 
young ladies who helped them to organize, I think.” 

“ Yes,” replied Bertha. “ I was in hopes we 
should meet some of them here to-day.” 

“ They are going to join the union, but it was 
impossible for them to come to-day, for their horses 
are all in the woods.” 

“ Don’t they do well to hold their meetings every 
Sunday evening?” said Harry. “We were afraid 
that they would n’t be able to.” 

“ Yes,” he replied. “ It is the first time any 
religious service has been held in Marshlands 
during the winter for years. These Endeavor 
Societies are grand things. They speak very 
warmly of you. They said in their letter that 
they could not have organized if you had not 
helped them.” 


THE ENDEAVOR CONVENTION. 


297 


“ I am glad we have been able to help some 
one,” said Bertha with a little smile. 

Mr. Fenton joining them just then, the young 
man bowed and withdrew. 

“ I did not see you come in,” said the minister. 
“ It is time to commence the service, is n’t 
it?” 

As she took her place, Bertha, found to her great 
surprise that she was not at all afraid, and really 
enjoyed the service of song, although she did have 
to lead it. At the close Mr. Fenton took his seat 
at the desk, and led the real Endeavor prayer 
meeting. Hearts were opened, and testimonies, 
prayers, and hymns followed each other in rapid 
succession. 

It was a gathering which none of them ever 
forgot, and. when, at last, it was time to close, all 
were sorrj^ to part, and the refrain of the last 
hymn, — 

God be with you till we meet again, 

ascended like a prayer from hearts warm with 
Christian love. 

At the close, strangers clasped hands like friends, 
and the girls were helped into their wraps by 


298 BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


those whose faces they had never seen until that 
afternoon. 

At the door stood a beautiful old lady, who 
shook hands with each one as they went out, 
saying, — 

“ Good-by, dear girls ; God bless you.” 

The sleighs were waiting at the door ; and, tuck- 
ing his party carefully in with thick fur robes, 
John took up the reins and drove off. 

“ It is awfully cold,” said Harry, “ but our hearts 
are so warm we sha’n’t feel it.” 

The air was clear, cold, and still. In the deep 
blue vault of heaven the stars glittered and shone, 
while northern lights, in columns of red, green, 
and orange, shot up quivering into the sky. The 
bells rang out musically on the frosty air, and the 
sheet of ice which covered the earth gleamed with 
a pale white light under the stars. 

Though John was a careful driver, the town 
with its twinkling lights was scarcely left behind 
them when the sleigh suddenly stopped, sending 
the girls forward with a scream. 

“ What has happened ? ” they cried in chorus, as 
Joe and John both jumped out. 

“We are stuck on a piece of bare ground,” 


THE ENBEAVOn CONVENTION. 


299 


replied Joe. “ Can’t the horses start up, Mr. 
Murry?’* 

“It was very careless of me,” said John, pro- 
voked with himself. “ I made a note of this place 
coming over, and ought to have remembered.” 

“We will get out,” said Bertha. “Then the 
horses can start the sleigh.” 

“Throw out the cargo,” cried Joe. “Come, 
Nan ! can’t get her off with you aboard.” 

“I ’m tucked in so warm I can’t bear to get 
out,” said Nan, who was left alone in the sleigh. 
“ My weight won’t make any difference.” 

But, though the horses pulled with all their 
might they could not start the sleigh. 

“ You are not a feather. Nan,” said Harry. 
“You have got to get out, or they can’t start.” 

“ Her shawls and things weigh a ton,” declared 
Joe. “ Come, Mother Bunch.” 

Joe pulled her out of the sleigh, for she was so 
wrapped up she could hardly move ; and scarcely 
had her feet touched the ground, when the horses 
started with a leap, which took John so by surprise 
that at first he could hardly hold them. 

They all set up a shout at Nan’s expense, but 
she bore their jokes good-naturedly, declaring that 


300 BERTHA^ S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


it was her wraps, not herself, that made the dif- 
ference. 

The effect of the convention was shown on the 
Lookout Committee more than on anything else. 
They had been doing very little, because they did 
not understand their duties ; but the reports of the 
other societies taught them a good deal, and the 
week after the convention the chairman called 
a special meeting. It was all done very quietly, 
but the results were manifest. Certain associate 
members received calls from young ladies who had 
only been in the habit of noticing them with a 
bow. Bertha’s plan was adopted, each active mem- 
ber taking the name of one associate, and mak- 
ing it the special subject of prayer. Though the 
results did not immediately follow, the meetings 
grew in spirit and power, and the members were 
drawn much nearer together. 

One of the first associate members to become 
active was Joe. Had any noticed Nan’s eyes when 
his name was proposed, they might have guessed 
whom she had been praying for. 


THREE YEARS AFTER. 


301 


CHAPTER XXI. 

THREE YEARS AFTER. 

Bertha had made the fire in the cook stove, 
set the teakettle on to boil, and sat down in the 
door, as she had done on a certain other June day 
three years before. 

The scene before her had not changed, but 
Bertha herself looked fresher and fairer at the age 
of twenty-seven than she had when she was only 
twenty-four. The cool breeze stirred the wavy 
hair on her forehead, and her face was smiling 
and happy, for she was not sighing over the dreary 
round of housework, or wondering how she could 
make both ends meet. 

A girl came up the dusty road, and, stepping 
over the stone wall, followed the well-worn path to 
the door. 

It was Harry, tall, straight, and slender, a fly- 
away girl no longer, but a young lady whose black 


I 


302 BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

curls were fastened up on top of her head in a 
most becoming fashion. She dropped on the step 
at her sister’s feet and began to fan herself with 
her round sailor hat. 

“ How did the rehearsal go ? ” asked Bertha. 

“ Pretty well. John does harp at us so about 
speaking loud. He wants our essays delivered in 
a clarion voice.” 

“ You know, Harry,” said Bertha, “ that it is 
very hard to speak so as to be heard all over a 
large church.” 

“ Of course John is all right,” said Harry im- 
patiently. “ But Nan really can not speak loud.” 

“ He will make allowances for her,” replied 
Bertha, “ but there are some in the class who think 
it is genteel not to raise their voice, and I don’t 
wonder John’s patience is tried.” 

“ I don’t either,” replied Harry ; “ Belle Park- 
man is so provoking. It is disagreeable to go to 
school to one’s prospective brother-in-law.” 

“ Why ? ” asked Bertha, smiling. 

“ Because all the girls expect me to mediate 
between them and John, and are always sending 
me to him with messages and requests, just because 
he is sort of one of the family.” 


THREE YEARS AFTER. 


303 


John and Bertha had been engaged for two 
years, and would have been married, only that 
Bertha would not put the housekeeping on Harry’s 
young shoulders until she was through school. 

They had found, as Ella had said, that the En- 
deavor Society was a good place to make friends, 
for it had first brought them together. 

“You will not be troubled that way much 
longer,” said Bertha. 

“ No ; I am glad my school days are nearly over, 
for then he can become a member of the family in 
earnest.” 

“ Did you get the mail ? ” asked Bertha, who 
was as matter-of-fact as ever. 

“Yes; but there was only a letter from Cliff 
and the paper : Joe took that.” 

“Did Cliff say anything about coming to the 
graduation ? ” 

“ Did n’t mention it,” said Harry with a slight 
curl of her lip. “ He has forgotten that there is 
such a thing. His letter is full of class day, boat 
clubs, and baseball teams ; he will never think of 
that promise he made so long ago.” 

“ I ’m sorry,” replied Bertha, “for I should like 
to see the dear fellow. I did n’t think when he 


304 BERTBA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 

♦ 

went away that we should not meet again for three 
years.” 

“I am not surprised,” said Harry, rising. “I 
did n’t expect him to come down here again. 
I will go upstairs and sew on my dress until 
tea time.” 

The first thing she did on reaching her room 
was to toss the letter she had just received onto 
a pile of others, directed in the same bold hand, 
saying spitefully, as she closed the desk with a 
snap, — 

“ Nobody cares whether you come or not,” and, 
seizing the billowy mass of lace and ribbon which 
lay on the bed, the young lady fell to hemming 
with all her might. 

A day or two after, as she was swaying to and 
fro in the hammock, she espied a young man 
coming up the road. 

At first she thought it was a stranger, but when 
he turned into the lane she recognized the tall, 
well-knit figure, and her heart beats sent the deep 
rose color to her cheeks. 

The moment Clifford saw her, he took off his 
hat, saying gravely, “ Would you like to buy any 
firearms to-day, ma’am ? ” 


THREE TEARS AFTER. 


305 


“ Clifford Preston ! ” exclaimed Harry. “ Did 
you drop out of the sky ? ” 

“ Do I look as though I had just come down ? ” 
he asked, glancing at his dusty boots. ‘‘ I did n’t 
know as you would recognize me.” 

“ You have n’t changed a bit,” said Harry as 
they shook hands. 

“ But you have,” he declared frankly. “ You 
have grown very pretty.” 

“ That is as much as to say that I was very 
homely three years ago,” said she, coloring under 
the glance of his dark eyes. 

“ It is too bad of you to twist my compliments 
round in that way,” said he. “ Did n’t you expect 
me to-day ? ” 

“ Of course not,” she replied. “ You did n’t 
say a word about coming in your letter.” 

“ But I told you three years ago, sitting on that 
very step, that I should be here.” 

“ But how did I know but you had forgotten all 
about it? ” 

“ I see what kind of an opinion you have of me,” 
said Clifford in a hurt tone. “ You will tell me 
that you are sorry I came, next.” 

“Indeed I won’t,” she replied, “for I like to 
have people keep their promises.” 


306 BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. • 

Here Bertha, attracted by the sound of voices, 
came running out, and gave the newcomer a warm 
welcome. 

“ How is Ella ? ” she asked. “ Why did n’t you 
bring her with you?” 

“ That bald-headed tyrant absorbs her whole 
attention,” he replied, “ and she does n’t care 
anything about the rest of the world.” 

“ How is the blessed baby ? ” asked Bertha 
eagerly. “ Whom does he look like ? ” 

“The family have n’t done anything but wor- 
ship him since he arrived on the scene,” he re- 
plied. “ They think he is the most wonderful 
child on the face of the earth, but I don’t see as 
he is any different from other babies. He squalls 
every time I go near him, and makes up dreadful 
faces at me.” 

“ You don’t deserve to have a nephew,” said 
Harry severely, “ if that is the way you talk.” 

“ My nose is broken,” said he plaintively. “I 
have been the sole male representative of the 
family all these years, and the moment Ella pre- 
sents them with this infant they neglect me, and 
bow down before that red-faced mite of humanity. 
Even Auntie Moore has basely deserted me, and 


THREE YEARS AFTER. 


307 


spends all her surplus cash on coral rattles and 
silver mugs.” 

“So you thought you would come where you 
would be appreciated,” laughed Bertha. 

“ Exactly,” he replied. “ When are you going 
to invite me to the wedding, Bird?” 

“ Whose wedding, you impudent boy ? ” she 
asked, laughing and blushing. 

“You ought to give me an especial bid,” he 
continued, “ for I knew what was going on three 
years ago, and wanted to tease awfully, but Ella 
would n’t let me, for fear I ’d frighten you.” 

“ I never knew how much I owed Ella before,” 
said Bertha merrily. 

“ You ought to ask me to be groomsman, at 
least. I ’ll ask you all to my wedding on the 
spot.” 

“ Thank you,” said Harry with a deep bow ; “ I 
accept with pleasure.” 

“ You are such a precocious youngster,” laughed 
Bertha, “I should n’t be surprised to hear that 
you had the day all set.” 

“ Hullo ! ” said a voice behind them ; and, turn- 
ing round, they saw Joe coming up the lane. 

“ How are you, Solon ? ” said Clifford, grasping 


308 


BERTHA^ S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


his cousin’s hand. “ I have kept my word, and 
come to hear you salute in Latin.” 

Joe was glad to see his cousin, and felt none of the 
jealousy toward the Harvard man that he had for 
the city boy, and they walked away, arm in arm, 
while Joe unfolded all his plans. His father had 
at last given his consent to his going West, where 
an uncle had promised to get him into business, 
and Joe was sure that his fortune was made. 

After supper the young people went down to 
see Kezia, and found her sitting at her knitting in 
her little stuffed rocking-chair by the window. 

“ Why, Kezia, you look as natural as life ! ” 
exclaimed Clifford, nearly taking her breath away 
by the kiss he gave her. 

“ Bless my heart ! ” cried the lady, considerably 
taken aback by this attention from the handsome 
six footer. “ Where in the land sakes did you come 
from ? ” 

“ I ’m right from my native heath,” he replied, 
“ and have come down here on purpose to see you 
and the other girls.” 

“ That ’s just like your impudence,” she declared. 
“ You ain’t changed an atom, if you do sport a 
mustache, and would plague a body’s life out just 


THREE YEARS AFTER. 


309 


as quick as you would three years ago. How ’s 
your sister, and that blessed baby ? ” 

Clifford sat down in one of the stuffed rockers, 
and reeled off news as fast as his lively tongue 
would permit, to a most admiring audience, who 
regarded the young gentleman with his budget of 
news as, a most entertaining addition to their 
society. Kezia felt very much flattered by his 
call, though she did not think it prudent to tell 
him so. When they rose to take their departure 
she asked them to come again. Clifford assured 
her he certainly should, for he considered her one 
of his best friends, and should never forget her 
lemon pies and cheese cakes, which statement sent 
the lady into the house to plan a tea party, at 
which she would regale the young gentleman with 
these dainties. 

The first Monday evening of Clifford’s visit was 
the monthly consecration meeting. Three years 
had made a great change, which was more apparent 
to Clifford than to those who had attended the 
meetings right along. The vestry was fuller, and, 
as the meeting opened, a seriousness prevailed, not 
manifested at the beginning. The active member- 
ship had not only increased, but the individual 


310 


BERTRAMS SUMMER BOARDERS. 


members seemed more earnest and thoughtful ; the 
responses to the roll call were given with more 
feeling than when, with a few exceptions, the 
members repeated a verse of Scripture. But the 
brief, earnest sentence prayers which came from 
all over the room showed where the spirit and 
power of the meeting lay ; and, as he listened, 
Clifford thought his sister had indeed dropped 
seed into good ground when she organized that 
society of Christian Endeavor. 

The grand event of the season was the gradua- 
tion. As the twilight began to fall the church 
filled up so rapidly that ushers could hardly find 
seats for all. Everything was well arranged, — 
the lights brilliant, the decorations superb; and 
when an inspiring march pealed from the organ, 
the sweet girl graduates, with their male class- 
mates, moved slowly up the aisle, and took their 
places amid a flutter of lace and ribbon, while 
programs rustled, fans waved, and admiring rela- 
tives beamed on them from the front seats. 

The exercises quickly passed, and the boys and 
girls who had talked and thought of nothing else 
for weeks soon stood in a row receiving their 
diplomas. 


THREE YEARS AFTER. 


311 


Harry could not realize that it was over, but 
felt like one in a dream as she listened to the 
congratulations and compliments of her friends. 

‘‘ How funny it seems,” said she to Clifford, as 
they walked slowly towards home. ‘‘We have 
talked, thought, and dreamed of nothing but grad- 
uation all the spring, and it was over before we 
could draw our breath. I can’t remember how 
I felt while reading my essay, and as for our 
clothes, that have cost us so much labor and ex- 
pense, I don’t believe any one knew that Belle had 
on white kid slippers, or that Nan’s hairpins were 
silver, and Emma’s gloves had ten buttons.” 

“We know you looked wonderfully pretty,” 
said Clifford frankly, “and that is the main thing. 
But what are you going to do next ? ” 

“ You would think from the valedictory that we 
were all going to become something famous, but 
my career will be among the pots and kettles. I 
must be housekeeper, so that John and Bertha can 
marry.” 

“ Are you going to be tied down here too ? ” 
asked Clifford. 

A cloud rested on Harry’s bright face, but she 
answered bravely, “ I ought not to complain, after 


312 BEETHA^S SUMMER BOARDERS. 


such an example as Bertha has set me. Poor 
patient dear ! she has waited long enough for her 
happiness to deserve it.” 

“ Some one may want to carry you off some 
day. What will you do then?” 

“Not much danger of that,” laughed Harry, 
“for the boys are all going out West.” 

“ Some of them may want you to go with them,” 
he replied. “ That red-hot Democrat, for instance.” 

“ I never accept second invitations,” said Harry 
demurely, “and I know he will ask Belle first.” 

“I say, Harry,” said Clifford earnestly, “you 
would n’t send a fellow off, if he should come, 
would you ? ” 

“ Depends upon the fellow.” 

“You know what I mean,” said he, growing 
more and more earnest as he went on. “When 
I ’m through college I ’m coming again, and 
you ’ll promise to listen to me then, won’t you, 
Harry?” 

“Yes, I ’ll promise,” said Harry; and as she 
never broke her word, it is to be presumed that 
when the time came she listened to whatever it 
was that Clifford had to say. 




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